I had just climbed into my truck in the Walgreens parking lot on 31 and was about to start the engine when I heard a voice outside my door. I looked up and a man was standing just outside my window.

"Can you give me a hand?" he asked.

My first instinct was just to start the car and drive away. Helping strange men in dark parking lots was hardly the safest thing to do and I had to get back to work anyway. But when I looked at him, something told me I just couldn't drive away.

So I asked him what the problem was and he launched into a story about a truck that ran out of gas and a unreachable wife who had his ATM card. He lived in Fort Wayne and had no way of getting home without some gas or some money. He said he had an aunt who lived in South Bend, but he had walked to her house and nobody was home. He just needed a ride back to his truck so he could figure out what he was going to do.

Once again my first instinct was to start the car and drive away. This sounded just like a rehearsed story from an accomplished scam artist or, even worse, a rehearsed story from a carjacker. While my cynical and self-absorbed side was telling me just to drive off and let this guy deal with his own problems, another side was telling me this guy really needed help.

So against my better judgement, I said "OK, jump in. I can give you a ride."

So the guy walked around to the other side of the truck and I unlocked the door. He slid into the seat and stuck out his hand and we started talking about Notre Dame.

We drove south on 31 to the Arby's where his truck was parked. As we pulled into the parking lot he said, "I sure could use about 12 bucks. That's all it would take to get me home."

Well, I didn't have 12 bucks. I only had three. But I pulled it out of my wallet and gave it to him. It wouldn't be enough to get him home but maybe it could get him closer. He shook my hand again, hopped out of my truck and walked over to his own.

I didn't tell you this story to brag that I was a great person for driving this guy to an Arby's and giving him three bucks. I am retelling this story because my initial reaction was not to help this man. My initial reaction was not to trust this guy. Maybe I did get scammed for three bucks. Or maybe I didn't. Maybe I actually helped a guy who was in trouble a little bit.

Jesus says, "I was naked and you clothed me, hungry and you gave me food." I wonder how many times I have walked by the man on the street begging for change for a hot meal because I thought he was trying to scam me. Why is my first instinct to distrust and doubt the man in need? I guess I still have a long way to go before I truly live a Christian life.

• A Basic Instinct