The First Responder

The First Responder

So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Luke 10:34

As we continue to consider the parable of the Good Samaritan, we arrive at the portion of it where Christ describes the first actions of the Samaritan toward the robbed and beaten traveler. The man was what a dispatcher today would describe as, ‘an unresponsive party.’ The Samaritan is in a de facto way, the ‘first responder.’ Notice the three things that he does: 1) he ‘went to him’ 2) he ‘bandaged his wounds, pouring in oil and wine,’ 3) he ‘set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.’ Christ does not call to the broken, helpless, bleeding soul, demanding that he arise, of his own will and ability to bring himself to where he can get help. Recognizing our utter inability, Christ comes to us where we are in our broken, bleeding, helpless state. Also, Christ addresses the issues that are most pressing. The Samaritan ‘poured in oil and wine.’ He actively applied to the man what would help to bring healing and prevent infection most quickly. So Christ in dealing with us, meets our immediate needs in order to prevent a bad situation from becoming worse. Next, the Samaritan ‘set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn and took care of him.’ So Christ lifts us up and conveys us to a place of safety, where He can further minister to us. It remains to be seen as to how much the man, at the moment, was able to even comprehend what was happening. It may have been only upon reflection that he would have realized the labor of the Samaritan. So we, often do not realize what Christ is doing in our lives to save us, yet afterward, we magnify the Grace of our Ever-Compassionate First Responder.

Our most Kind and Compassionate Savior,
we praise You that You arrive at the most critical moment,
to meet us at our point of deepest need, to bear us up,
and to bring us to safety.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning