Crosstalk: 'Everyone loves a story'
Everyone loves a story—a tale, a fairy tale, or an old wife’s tale. You may be drawn in by a yarn, saga, or fable, something novel, pure fiction, or history with a message.
All cultures have stories to explain the world to children and offer guidance wrapped up in entertainment. I was reminded of a story/parable told by Jesus when I was out being entertained in Digbeth, Birmingham recently.
My wife and I, neither of us in the first flush of youth, were out late for us. Having attended a live music gig we were walking through Digbeth at about 10.30pm to our car parked near the bus station.
The people we passed on the street were young, happy, and a little noisy. We were within 50 yards of our car and about to pass a group of football supporters when a doorman hailed us. He was impressively large, wearing his official armband and a magnificent turban. "Are you folk OK? Are you going far? Do you need any help?" We assured him we were fine and quite literally in sight of our car. The rowdy group moved to give us room as we walked arm in arm across the road.
It was then that I thought "Samaritan" - Luke chapter 10 if you want the whole story - about help given to a stranger by someone unexpected or very different. I saw the scene from a different perspective. My wife and I have been enjoying an evening out in Birmingham since the early 1970s. Fifty years older but still comfortable to walk across town to our car we must have looked old and vulnerable to a strong young man whose job it is to deal with potential trouble. So thank you to the Sikh, who stepped into the road to assist a Christian on his way, and for reminding him that Jesus said that everyone is my neighbour.
Rob Leighton, Belle Vue Methodist Church, Shrewsbury
