Standing on the muddy bank of a canal near Miami, Florida, Jim saw bubbles coming up from the car which had just plunged into the murky water.
Jim and his wife had seen the accident happen as they were driving to the airport for a flight to their home in Chicago. Graciela, the driver of the car that was in the water, had lost control of her car when the car’s hood suddenly flew open, blocking her view.
“We quickly turned our car around and went back,” Jim said later. “I knew that I was going to have to go in after her, so I took my wedding ring off and got my wallet out of my pocket.”
“Everyone was saying Jim was crazy to go into that water,” his wife added. “It was black and deep and full of snakes and alligators! But nobody else among the 50 people who stopped seemed to want to help.”
As Jim pulled off his shoes, someone called to him from the crowd standing around: “Don’t worry about your clothes, son. Save a life!” Although his good clothes and his flight to Chicago that he was about to miss were on his mind, Jim dove into the 15 feet of black water to try to find the car. Coming up for air, he dove again and again.
“I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face in that water,” he said later. “I didn’t think I was going to find the car. I was amazed when I touched it.”
It was his fourth dive before he finally found the car. Although nearly exhausted and out of air, Jim forced open the car door and found the unconscious driver. He pulled her out of the car and then took her safely to shore.
On the shore they found that Graciela was not breathing and was apparently in shock. Other bystanders gave her artificial respiration until the paramedics could take over. All of this work saved Graciela’s life. After a short hospital stay, she was released in good health.
Graciela’s life was saved, above all, because of Jim’s concern and quick action. There were 50 other people standing around who either could not or would not help. We may ask why and not come up with a very good answer.
This story reminds me of the story of the good Samaritan that is found in the Bible in Luke 10:30-3530And Jesus answering 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. 31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And 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. 35And 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. (Luke 10:30‑35). In that story there is a man who was robbed of his clothes, then brutally beaten up by the thieves and left to die. At least two men passed right by him who did not help him. They did not have the love that was needed to help the man who could not help himself. The only person who could and would help the wounded man was a Samaritan, a stranger from another land. “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” (Luke 10:33-3433But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And 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. (Luke 10:33‑34)).
This story is a lovely picture of the Lord Jesus. He is the true Good Samaritan, the “Stranger” who came down from heaven to earth and did everything that was needed to save us from our sins. The Lord Jesus “became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:99For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)). We are like the wounded man who had everything taken from him by the thieves. Satan is called a thief in the Bible, because he always takes away from people everything he can.
Have you accepted the love of God that was shown to this world in the life and death of the Lord Jesus? “There is none other name [the name of Jesus] under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)).
For those of us who know the love of God for ourselves, it’s good to think ... are we doing everything we can to tell others the way to be saved? Or are we more worried about our things or what people will think of us than in trying to “save a life” from an eternity in hell? “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:1616For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)).
Memory Verse: “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.” Luke 10:3333But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, (Luke 10:33)-34
Messages of God’s Love 4/20/2025