I saw a video recently on the PBS website about the odd relationships some animals have. In that documentary it told about how a deer and a golden retriever had become friends, how a tortoise and a duck had bonded, and how a cheetah and a dog had a friendly relationship. All of the stories were interesting. However, the one story that actually brought tears to my eyes was the story about a 40 year old blind horse and a 16 year old goat. The story told how when this old horse lost sight in both of its eyes, the goat would lead it around. No one trained the goat to do this, the goat just somehow realized that the horse could not longer see, and it needed help – so it helped it. The farm where they lived had a meadow back in the rear of the property that you had to go down a trail through the woods to get to. The meadow had really good grass that the horse liked to eat. So, every day the goat would lead the blind horse down the trail to the meadow. Then, the goat would just sit there in the sun and wait for the horse to get done eating, and then it would lead the horse back. The goat didn’t run down the trail, it walked really slow, checking to make sure the horse was following it, and it did this every day for 16 years until the horse finally died.
Now, the horse was blind and needed help. So, when the goat started leading it around, it got the help it wanted. However, what did the goat get out of the deal? The goat had to spend all that time and effort every day leading a blind horse up and down a trail. Yet, in spite of the fact that it got nothing out of the deal – it faithfully did what it thought it needed to do. There were other animals on the farm. None of them bothered to help the horse….just the goat!
This reminds me of the story in the Bible of the good samaritan. We find the story in Luke chapter 10. The story that Jesus told is about a man who was robbed and beaten and left to die along the side of the road between Jerusalem and Jericho.
Now, several people passed by this poor man, but they were too busy. They were too occupied with their OWN life. They didn’t want to be bothered with him. That is until the Samaritan came along and saw a man in need. This Samaritan had compassion on him and helped him. We read in that chapter; “But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.'” (Luke 10:33-35)
What did the Samaritan get out of the deal? Nothing material. He got the satisfaction and pleasure of knowing he had helped a person who needed him.
How often in this life do we only seek to help those who can “repay” us, or where we might “get something” in return?
In verse 37 of the chapter, it says, “Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.'”
Jesus Christ spend His entire time on this earth healing the sick and helping others in need. Then He died on the cross, because He saw a world of sinners who needed help! We needed a Savior! And He became that Savior to ALL who will simply trust Him.
We should actively seek opportunities to share the love of Jesus Christ by helping others, by having compassion on others, and by putting OTHERS first in our lives.
We can learn an IMPORTANT lesson from that old blind horse and goat. That goat put the needs of that poor blind horse before it’s own needs. What an awesome reminder of how we too should live!