But a
Samaritan, while traveling, came near him, and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.
Last summer, I had to be away on business for a couple days. The hotel
where I stayed was nice enough, but it wasn’t home. I couldn’t get the air
conditioning adjusted right, the bed was harder than I’m used to, and something was
wrong with the pillow. My day started out with a bit too much negative attitude.
As I was leaving my room for dinner, the person in the next room was
leaving, too. He spoke English, I guess, but with a very heavy accent. He said to me,
"Hello, @#$%^&." I understood the "hello" part, so I said
"hello" back. I didn’t understand the rest of it at all.
We rode the elevator together. He kind of looked at me a couple times,
but neither of us spoke. We both ate in the hotel restaurant, but he sat on the other side
of the room.
He finished first and walked by me on his way out. "Goodbye,
@#$%^&." The second word was the same I’d heard before and I still
didn’t understand it.
Pretty much the same thing happened on the next day. On the last day,
he walked by as I was checking out and said "Gud???,@#$%^&." I couldn’t
understand him, so I didn’t give much of a response.
After he was out the door, I asked the desk clerk about the guy and
what he had said to me. She explained that he was from Africa, that he was staying at the
hotel while his son was very sick in a nearby hospital. What he said to me was,
"Goodbye, neighbor."
I wish I had been a better neighbor to him.
Heavenly Father, open our minds to recognize our neighbor as
anyone in need, and to accept him. Inspire us to help our neighbors as a response of love,
as you do for each of us daily. Amen.
Keith Martin
