Thieves and More

The kingdom of man is like unto a certain man who went down from New York to Newark, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

By chance also there came down a certain priest of the New World Order; and when he saw him, he mourned that there was injustice and misery in the world, and he passed by on the other side.

Likewise also a Lawyer, when he was at the place, came and looked at him, and passed by on the other side, grieving.

But a certain entrepreneur, who ran a small gun and tobacco shop, as he journeyed came where he was. When he saw him, he had compassion on him and went to him, bound up his wounds, giving him CPR along with a stiff drink of whiskey, put him in his SUV, and took him to the emergency room. He paid his expenses and told them to send the bill to him for any other costs. The man completely recovered.

Meanwhile the priest, determined to do something about the misery in the world, organized lobbies in Washington, D.C., to do something about health care. “It is a shame that so many people do not have health care,” he said. “There are poor people in this very community,” he said, “who do not have care. This is an uncaring and cruel nation.” When the legislation was passed after long debate, he was appointed to administer the plan, because he was such a caring individual.

The Lawyer, moved in his soul by the spectacle of the poor man, lobbied the other members of his profession and the most stringent crime bill in the history of the nation was passed. More policemen were hired and great sums were spent to try to reach young people before they turned to crime. “Prevention is better than cure,” our friend said. “He really cares,” said Oprah, after an interview. He was appointed to head the new National Crime Task and Prevention Commission or NCTPC.

The priest and the lawyer received the Good Neighbor award from the President, in a ceremony featuring the brightest of Hollywood stars and luminaries from major religious and charitable organizations.

Increased taxes forced the closure of our friend's gun and tobacco business and he applied for food stamps. The man who fell among thieves lost his job when his employer's business failed. He came to live in a government shelter for the homeless. Once he met his benefactor in a line for foodstamps. “What happened to you,” he said. “I, too, fell among thieves,” was the answer.

(Read Luke 10:30-36.)