Who Is My Neighbor?

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

Driving is one of the most prominent aspects of everyday life especially in the United States of America. It really is a privilege to be able to drive. Many have abused it though. Most people have done this because all they consider is themselves or something concerning them at the moment. The truth is we all concern each other. There is no one who can do well just by themselves. So, the safety of one is important to all, and that is what makes a society worth living in.

Jesus once gave a story as a response to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” He said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” (Luke 10:30-34, Berean Study Bible). And then Jesus asked the person who the neighbor to the beaten man was, and his response was the Samaritan (Luke 10:36-37, Berean Study Bible).

From this story, it is evident that a neighbor is the person who looks out for his or her fellow human being when he or she has the opportunity. Many have become so self-absorbed, that they have forgotten that they are not the only ones in the world. Everyone in this world deserves the chance to be safe on the road. Driving carelessly has cost the lives and destinies of people, people who had something unique to give to this world. Many great people have been killed due to careless driving. We ought to be neighbors to one another. One of the ways through which we can effectively do that, is by getting a drivers ed before driving. Some people, out of an eagerness to drive, ignore their drivers ed and just go ahead to drive. This is really risky. Through a drivers ed, a driver is not only taught how to drive, but also about the rules and regulations that are implemented to keep everyone safe on the road.

Many accidents can occur when a driver is ignorant of the role, he or she must play in making the road safe for everyone. That is why it is important that everyone who wants to drive should get drivers ed before driving. As a result of getting drivers ed, the road will be safer. There will be less accidents, and less deaths. The people who drive without drivers ed should imagine if no one who was driving had any drivers ed except how to drive. This will be chaos for everyone on the road; people not being able to recognize signs, or people driving under intoxication. This will cause more deaths, and this is exactly what the person without drivers ed is propagating.

Even if other people on the road have received a drivers ed, the one who has not received it puts every other person in danger. I remember an instant in which my dad had an accident. He was at an intersection, and so He stopped in front of a red light. Suddenly a car which was going in the opposite direction drove right into his car. It was by God’s grace that my dad came out of that accident unhurt. The person who drove his car into my dad’s was discovered to have been driving under intoxication. So, my dad was careful and prudent, he knew and followed the rules and regulations of the road, but because another person was reckless, his car was damaged beyond repairs. That is why a drivers ed is very important. The evidence that someone has been educated is seen in the application of the knowledge received. It is not enough to go to a driving school. A person who has been educated applies what he or she has been taught in school. Therefore, drivers ed is an all-inclusive process, and the one who wants to drive is at the center of that process.

We are all neighbors. Therefore, we all must be aware that everyone matters, and that the safety of all is the priority of one, and the safety of one is the priority of all. Being conscious of this, each one of us must be willing to take active steps in ensuring the safety of the people on the road and reduce the number of deaths which are related to driving. First, everyone who wants to drive should ensure they receive drivers ed. Those who just went to a driving school without receiving the education, should receive drivers ed again. Lastly, we should take part in sensitizing each other in the importance of driving with drivers ed, and the dangers of driving without being educated. If each and everyone of us does these things, there will be a drastic reduction in the number of deaths that occur related to driving.

To conclude, I will personally implement these steps as a driver in order to make the road a safer place for all because, I am a neighbor to everyone.