The Church, More than a Band-Aid Station
The small hometown where I raised my children had a small community hospital. Two of my children were born in that small facility. While they could handle routine medical concerns, more serious cases had to be transported to larger hospitals and trauma centers nearby. For this reason, many would refer to it as nothing more than a band-aid station.
That is another way of saying, if you walk in the door injured and bleeding, they may be able to cover your wound and stop the flow of the blood, but don’t expect too much more. Healing and repair are beyond their expertise. They must transport you to another location to have those needs met. This is a bit of an over-simplification, but you understand the point.
The church must be more than a band-aid station, it is a hospital for the sick and hurting. It is a place of refuge for those seeking safety and peace. It is a lighthouse for those in despair who have lost all hope. The church must never be content with pleasant platitudes and meaningless exposes of thought. The church is to be a vehicle through which God’s word is not only taught but it continuously being demonstrated.
It is not enough to merely offer prayer in response to a need that we can easily resolve. Our actions speak far greater than our words. If they come to you thirsty, do you give them a drink? If they come to you hungry do you offer them food to eat? Would we still be talking about the good Samaritan this day if he had merely prayed for the injured and walked away? I think not.
Our actions speak far greater than our words. We must never settle for being a mere band-aid station. We must seek to offer our heartfelt prayers, meet the needs we have the provision and resources to provide, and lead them to Christ. Jesus is the ultimate answer, but we must be his hands and feet upon the earth.