Christian Living
Good Samaritan Or Onlooker: Which Are You?
© 2007
by
Stephen A. Peterson
Marine Sergeant Jack “Action Jackson” Thompson sat in his Battalion’s makeshift chapel listening to the chaplain’s sermon that discussed the “Good Samaritan. “I can’t imagine passing an injured man by without trying to help that person out,” said the Marine Corpsman. And sitting there in the chapel it really did seem unthinkable.
Two days after the service, Sergeant Thompson’s platoon was out on a mission to protect Iraqi citizens from terrorist acts in the town of Fallujah. As his unit neared the center of the city, there was a commotion roughly a block away. Sergeant Thompson and his squad saw a man lying on the ground and chaos all around him. What looked to be an angry crowd stood over the dying man with sticks and clubs ready to end his life.
The ten man Marine squad intervened asking the crowd to move away from the man through a translator. According to the people present, the man, less than twenty minutes earlier had detonated a bomb that killed 15 women and 6 very young children.
“Help me!” plead the injured man.
At that moment every Marine rifle was trained on the man lying on the ground.
“What if we try to help and he set off a second bomb? Everyone in my squad will be killed and so will more Iraqi citizens,” thought Sergeant Thompson. Suddenly Sergeant Thompson said the top of a little book sticking out of his medical bag. It was his Bible still folded back to the chaplain’s lesson of the past week service about the Good Samaritan. His righteous words barreled back to him: “I can’t imagine passing an injured man by without trying to help that person out.” At point Sergeant Thompson’s own hypocrisy startled him.
After a moment and a short prayer, Sergeant Thompson held up his medical bag with white red cross up above his head for everyone to see. “I come in peace in the Name of God!” shouted Sergeant Thompson as he made his way towards the injured man. Bending down the Corpsman took several bandages out of his bad, search for the man’s injury and applied the bandages to stop the bleeding. At that point, the man went into shock. Without hesitation, Sergeant Thompson called for a helicopter. In a matter of minutes, a rescue unit carried the bomber off to a field hospital for treatment and surgery.
Although angry, the crowd, with the help of the Marine squad, cleared the area of the dead then gently placed the injured in hospital vehicles to rush off to another nearby Marine field aid station for treatment of their injuries. It was as if an Almighty Being calmed the crowd down to allow the Marines and Sergeant Thompson to come to the assistance of one who had killed and injured so many.
On his return to his base camp, Sergeant Thompson, in a thoughtful moment, felt he had not done much. But what haunted him even more was that he had come so close to doing nothing at all…only days after being so certain of himself regarding the subject of good Samaritan. As Sergeant Thompson passed the bed of the man who had killed so many, the bomber looked and smiled at Sergeant Thompson as though to say “thanks”.
Sergeant Thompson later learned that the bomber he saved that hot July day in Fallujah became a Christian. Instead of bombing to killed human souls, that man began telling Iraqis of the American Marine who opened his eyes to a God of unconditional love who came to save human souls.
Marine Corpsman Sergeant Jack “Action Jackson” Thompson learned that at times God has a way of calling our bluffs as He did in his instance. He came away with an unforgettable lesson—He must show faith with action, prayer and deeds, not with theory and words.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 808 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Stephen A. Peterson or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 808 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.