French media reported a gathering of people outside an apartment block, where on the fourth floor a four-year-old child was dangling with bystanders looking in fear of trepidation. The child’s life hung in the balance of death or almost serious injury. With the neighbour frantically holding on to the child. At this stage a passing migrant, who had no legal right to be in the country, and existed under the radar of a foreign country.
This young man risked his life and anonymity to save the child’s life, scaling four stories, in less than a minute and, snatched the child to safety. Onlookers cheered in awe of the rescuers’ bravery and selfless act.
For this moment in time, the negative PR that is associated with migrants was dispelled and replaced with celebrations and cheers.
In response to this, the president Emmanuel Macron gave the rescuer an audience with himself and awarded him the French highest badge of honour and of bravery. In addition to this, he was given full and immediate citizenship and an offer of a job within the Fire Service.
There were several factors we can consider, from the hanging child, the on look NG neighbour, the helper, the crowd. It is easy to look in the face of danger and be frozen in fear, but it takes bravery to make oneself vulnerable to the need of others.
Nelson Mandela said, ‘l learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear’.
Jesus said in Matthew 22:39,’…love thy neighbour as thy self… ‘
This week, may we be grateful for the gift of life, and with it, let us show practical love to our neighbours.