SAVE A LIFE
Several years ago, the term “to save a life” took on a new meaning for me.
It was a cool, crisp November evening, I remember it so vividly because we were returning home from celebrating my birthday. As we crossed over the Mississippi River to come into our town, we came up on a stopped car on the bridge. It was really strange, because there in the middle of a busy highway, a car being stopped in the middle of it all just didn’t seem right.
My husband had the same intuition that I had and he immediately pulled our car over to the side of the road and sprinted from our car to that parked car in the middle of the road. Call it intuition or the leading of the Spirit – whatever it was – it was the difference in a persons life.
Right before we came up on the scene, apparently there was a parked semi truck on the far right side of the road, stalled. The car that was now in the middle of the road, apparently came up behind the truck, not seeing it in time, and slammed into the back of the semi truck, causing the car to come to a stop in the middle of the road.
As my husband came upon the scene, he noticed the driver of the car was slumped over in the seat. The front of the car was so smashed in that the driver was pinned inside. But it wasn’t so much what my husband saw that alarmed him as it was what he heard!
The driver was gurgling and it sounded like he was choking. My husband realized that because this injured man was pinned and slumped over, he was choking on his blood. My husband, without thinking, reached in and pulled the man up and held him in an upright position until help came.
What was really disturbing about this accident scene was that my husband was the only person willing to save a life! The truck driver whose truck was stalled on the highway just stood at the side of the road looking on and hollering at my husband, ” I wouldn’t touch him, you don’t have gloves on!”
We did not have a cell phone with us, so we could not call 911. Cars steadily just sped by. Nobody would stop to help, even though my husband was standing in the middle of the road, slumped down in the drivers side, holding this dying man upward so he would not die on that dark, dreary November night! Nobody seemed interested in slowing down long enough to save a life!
Finally, help arrived.
The jaws of life was used to get the man out of his vehicle and later we visited his family in the hospital and we were told that if it had not been for my husbands quick action, that the man would have choked on his blood. A life was saved on that dark, dreary November night!
I share this story not to bring glory to my husband. Even though in my mind he is a hero, he does not like to bring attention to himself for his part in this miracle. God placed us on that bridge, at that time, on that night for a purpose. God receives ALL of the glory for the miracle that took place that night. But this week as I celebrated my birthday, I was remembering about the birthday I had all those years ago that was life changing! A life was saved that night.
I was also thinking about all the times since that night that I have walked past circumstances that God may have been asking me to STOP and help someone who needs to be saved! But like the passerbys that dark, dreary November night -I wonder, have I just kept going and ignored the signs that someone was in trouble?
Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”
In order for a life to be saved that dark, dreary November night, grace had to be applied! When we share His grace and love to others, lives WILL be saved!
Whose life can you save today?
Find me over at http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/ for daily devotions!
Thank you for sharing that story. Your husband is certainly a hero. I believe that we all have opportunities each day. Perhaps not quite as big as saving a life, but certainly we can brighten another’s day and share a kindness or two.
Andie
You are right Laurie; God places us in situations to share His love and grace. Now I am wondering how often have I passed by situations where God wanted me to share…
Thank you for the reminder that He has a purpose for all of us. May I be aware of those situations and not walk past them.
Dear Laurie,
Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful story.
Have a blessed week,
Cheryl
How awesome that God allowed you and your husband to pass by at that very moment. Who knows how many lives were touched because of the one that your husband helped to save.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
What an amazing story, Laurie! Thanks for sharing it. 🙂