The Road to Jericho Runs Through Zion

Long ago, Jesus told a story of a man taking a long journey.

He said, "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?"

Four young adults were far from their home in another State when the transmission went out on their car.  They walked four miles along an Interstate Highway to a gas station to purchase transmission fluid - thinking that they might be able to add fluid and get the car into a town.

The sun was going down and it was beginning to rain.  Dressed for summer, and not prepared for a Fall storm in the mountains, their T-Shirts and shorts were soaked as they plodded along back toward their broken down car.

Their journey had brought them through the heart of one of the leading Stakes of Zion, but they looked a little rough around the edges.  One driver noticed them walking along and called 911.  Another driver passed by and called the Sheriff directly to report them.

But a certain Deputy, as he journeyed, saw them and stopped.  With only room for one in his vehicle, he drove one of them back to the car and helped put in some transmission fluid.  They got the car moving and limped it along toward a small country town.  Two miles down the road, and still a few miles from town, the car stopped again.  It would go no further.  They pushed it off the road.

The Deputy found the other three walking a short distance ahead.  The were completely soaked.  They said they would just stay in their car and call their parents for help.  There was no hotel for miles and they had family coming to help them.

The Deputy drove to his home and got blankets for them.  He then stopped at the local grocery deli and purchased some chicken, drinks and other food items and took it all out to them.  They were extremely grateful and thought it all seemed a little abnormal for a cop to do such things.

Maybe he could have done more.  Maybe he should have done more, but when asked why he did what he had done, he simply said, "Because that's what I think Jesus would have done and I try to follow Him".