A Jump Start

 

It was 3:30 in the afternoon.  It was getting dark in the forest.  We were tired.  We were craving hot coffee and good food and a real bathroom.  We had hiked just a little over 6 miles up a high peak in the Catskills of New York on a day where the temps didn't get above 50.  We were about to pull away from the trailhead parking lot when.........

.....the man motioned for me to roll down my window.  I was driving my Honda Civic.  It was getting warmed up.  I had a 15 min drive to the nearest town with coffee.  My friend's feet were tired.  I had been up since 5.  It was a two hour drive home to a hot shower........should I roll down my window??

I did.  Asked him if everything was ok.

No.  It wasn't.  He was from the City (in these parts that means THE CITY as in NYC).  He was as far from home as we were only we needed to go north and he needed to go south. His car lights had been left on by mistake while they climbed the mountain.  His three children were occupying themselves on a large rock and his wife was reading instructions from jumper cables.  Could I give him a jump start??

Everything in my flesh cringed.  Really? I thought.  Seriously?? Don't these people have AAA??  (oh wait....we are in the Balsam Lake Mountain Wilderness Region miles from civilization with homes scattered here and there and  spotty cell service and the nearest  garage is probably miles away). 

And then something...SomeOne? in my heart and mind alerted me to something I had been desiring:  to show authentic kindness to my neighbor.  This family??  They were French,  based on their use of English and their accent.  They were far from home.  They had a car that was literally 28 years old.  (because the wife told us).  I had no jumper cables but they did and I have a practically new battery. And my car was already warmed up. Should I help them?  

The 2nd greatest commandment flashed through my mind.

I told the father I would help.  I inched my car between his and the parked van and he hooked everything up.  It was a minor inconvenience but it felt great to help this family in need.   It was nothing big.  It was just a small act, really, in the large scheme of things, but God doesn't always call us to the great things.  Sometimes we love in the little things. Here I had been desiring and sometimes even praying that I could live out my faith authentically and that I could really LOVE my neighbor and even our site  pastor last weekend preached on being practical and proactive towards others when it comes to helping others. (from the sermon Christ the One Who Walked in Wisdom Towards Outsiders.  10/31/21) 

I also thought about how it's beginning to be the holiday season in a couple of weeks.  The season where we want to bring joy to others.  To show them why we celebrate Christmas. Because of Love.  Love that came down. 

Love that I can share by doing simple things.  I thought to myself "oh good...I'm giving a jump start to someone and I'm jump starting the season of kindness and good acts.".  But.....shouldn't it always be the time for that??  

The entire episode only took about 10 minutes from the time he motioned to me to the time he was closing the hood of my car. 

My heart felt light.  I felt love radiating out of me.  For a stranger and his family.

It was just a simple act but an important one I think.  Kindness is rare in this world.  So many people are self-centered myself included!  I mean my first thought was "geesh...I just wanna go get some hot coffee! I just climbed a mountain and this guy wants me to jump start his car??"  

Yet......when we listen to the Voice inside that prompts us to act.......it gives us that jump-start to live with purpose. 

To walk the walk we talk about. 

To love our neighbor as ourselves.