Tested Optimism

I am a very optimistic person. Especially when it comes to other human beings. I think most people are good and honest. Most people want to help other people out, but generally do not help because of fear. Of course the fear comes from a few people who act out and ruin it for the rest of us. My optimism was recently tested, though.

I was in Enid, OK the other day shopping at a local grocery store. I had finished my shopping and returned to my pick-up. I put the groceries in the back and sat down and tried to start the pick-up. It would not start. The battery was obviously dead. I opened the hood and looked under the hood, trying to fake it that I actually knew anything about motors. Reality set in and I jiggled the battery cables and tried again. Still no luck. I always carry jumper cables, so I patiently waited on someone to come out of the store, so I could ask them for a jump. A man came out and was getting into his van, so I asked him if I could have a jump. I emphasized that I had my own cables and all I needed was a simple jump. He said, "I can't do that." I was stunned. It would only take five minutes at the most, but he could not do that. I turned and walked back to my pick-up shaking my head. I asked three other people, who simply said no. I was getting a little discouraged and a lot angry at this point. Finally a man pulled up, with long greasy hair, wholy and filthy jeans, an untrimmed goatee and several tattoos. He looked like he had not taken a bath for at least a week. Thinking that the most he could do is say no, I asked him if I could have a jump. He did not even hesitate and said sure. He pulled over and we used my cables and he gave me a jump in less than five minutes. I thanked him profusely and we went on our way.

I know that I am over weight, but I think I look pretty respecable. I was dressed in a nice button down short sleave shirt and a good pair of jeans. I do think I look like an axe murderer and had I seen someone in a similar condition asking for a jump, I would have done it in a second. I could not believe that four people would not help. Perhaps they were busy and on a tight schedule. Maybe one of them had hooked up cables backwards some time and blew up a battery or perhapse they were afraid I would sue them if something went wrong. Either way, this event made me angry and really tested my optismism about human beings.

I know that we humans only get angry when something important to us is threatened, so on the way back for Enid, I had to ask myself "What important thing to me was being threatened?" Certainly I was running late and did not have time for my vehicle to break down, but that was not what was threatened. I fully believe that what was threatened was my view of humanity. I believe in the basic goodness of humanity. However, what good person would say no to giving a car a jump, in the broad daylight of a rather busy parking lot. Especially, when it was a decent looking human being like myself.

That is why I was angry, though. Perhaps I am spoiled living in an area where neighbors still know each other and will go out of thie way to help somone. Perhaps I am overly optimistic about people and our culture in general. Maybe I work around church people too much and have forgotten what a secular society is like. Has our society and culture grown so fearful that we are afraid to get involved with anothe human beings problem, even when they are simple? Are we truly afraid to help other people?

Maybe this was just a bad day, but it has affected me tremendously. I hope that I will not cave in to the culture of fear. I hope and pray that I will be able to show Christ in a situation like this. I think I would.