An old adage says to go the second mile because it has less traffic.
Last Sunday a football fan at the Oakland Raiders’ stadium went the second mile and saved someone’s life in the process.
At the conclusion of the game when the stadium was mostly empty, a distraught woman threatened to jump 45 feet from the third level of the stadium to the seats below. The Associated Press reported that the woman went to an area covered by a tarp. Fans who spotted her tried to stop her. Ron Brown of Sacramento yelled at her about 10 times, begging her not to jump.
What happened next saved the woman’s life. A 61 year old former Marine lingering with a friend after the game also saw the woman and joined others who tried to stop the woman from jumping. As the woman jumped he lunged toward the woman and attempted to catch her. His action saved the woman’s life.
Neither the man nor the woman were identified by authorities. The man from Stockton, California, was critically injured when he tried to catch her. Sergeant J.D. Nelson of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said “He saved her life quite honestly, at his own expense. This guy 100 percent saved her life. She’d be dead now.”
Nelson visited the man Sunday night in the hospital. The man said he simply reacted to what happened.
This human tragedy reminds me of three truths.
First, as bad as the world is it is also filled with unselfish, caring people. At Thanksgiving, we can give thanks for this man and others like him.
Second, the world is filled with hurt and pain. This woman is not an isolated case. More than ever before, the world needs the Good News.
Third, we need to be the people who walk the second mile for the needs of hurting people. As we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas, let us commit to God to be found faithful in the midst of a world of need.
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3 Responses
AMEN. Great reminder that we were not created to live or die to ourselves, but to live in Community, “members, one of another.”
Thanksgiving indeed!
Blessings
As I read these 3 truths, I can see how God is using several difficult events in our lives to become more aware of his presence and these truths. As we encounter these difficulties, we grow closer and become more dependent on God. Thru our latest tragedy, we have been blessed with truly caring and unselfish people who have given the kind of comfort that could only originate from God. As we have experienced our trials, we have noticed a greater awareness of other peoples needs in a way that has never been made known to us before and in this way we will be able to use our experiences to help share God’s blessings with others in need. All of this increases our faith, endurance and hope and is part of the on going sanctification process that all of us as Christians experience. May all the glory be to God.
Thank you for your wonderful testimony of the power of Christ. Another thing trouble does is it gives us a platform to make Christ known.