First Aid Kit

The Health and safety department is a very critical department in any organization, hence, it’s not one that has to deal with cuts in budgets and personnel all the time. It’s also important that the departmental personnel be trained regularly to combat whatever issue that might arise relating to the health and security of the personnel and assets of the organization.
One of the principal duties of a health and security officer is to be a first responder in any issue that might beguile the company, and in being proactive, they closely monitor the workers to avoid unsafe practices.
One of their most fundamental working tools when dealing with health mishaps is the first aid kit. The items contained in it are used to begin the treatment of any injuries before medical professionals arrive at the scene.
Every day, of our lives we take a lot of risks; its big risk to get out of the bed, it’s an even bigger risk to drive out of the house or take out the garbage, but those are not the real risks, the real risks have to do with our emotions. Allowing someone take a part of our mind-space, or asking them to give you some of theirs is perhaps the biggest risk ever, and as such the bible warns “do you not know that you become slaves to whom you yield yourself to?” (Rom. 6:16). That truth, in closer observation is a very serious issue.

It means that the people you yield your mind-space to eventually get to run your life. Put simply; those you hang out with are running your life!
I remember a particular Euro football/soccer champions league final that event brought some realities to my notice. While the team I was supporting was losing, it was bedlam in my head!!! I knew then that it wasn’t the taunting of the supporters of the other team that was haunting me, but the fact that I had given them so much mind-space and they controlled me! I knew I was going to feel horrible for days if they lost!
So it is with even the mundane things around us, a friend, a shoe, a mobile phone, a habit, an attitude, and the rest of them, they could all take up space in our minds.
The issue then is ‘ what happens when these things fail us; when we get hurt, or plagued by any of these things we hold dear’ ?
 We had taken a risk and allowed someone in, and now we are broken because of it.
Who do we run to?
Our first Aid kit!
Usually we don’t start packing the items in our first aid kit on the day that disaster strikes, we must have been packing the instruments for a very long while, and perhaps we only realize what instruments we have packed when disaster strikes.
The instruments are those things we have daily-allowed space in our minds, they form the crevices we run to when things get tough.
Most of us who are Christians don’t even remember to talk to Jesus first, most times as soon as something happens we are on the phone yapping away and looking for help at every other location but the place where help really is!
Jesus Should be our first responder ALWAYS, He should be the person we know who always has our back. Of course, it’s not wrong to have buddies who you call when things go rough, in fact it is advisable.
“Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better. If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he is alone, he’s in trouble”.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
First aid to so many people maybe pornography, video games, alcohol, or even an abusive partner, movies, food, it could be something as casual as hitting the gym or taking a run around the corner. Our first aid when we are bruised should be the throne of Grace first! Before we even try anything else!
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Heb 4:16
The bible tells of the story of the woman with the issue of blood who had gone to various doctors for 12 years, she had become broke, and the doctors still couldn’t help her, until she met the balm of Gilead. Imagine if she had gone to Jesus first, she would have had some money to buy a bowl of ice cream for herself and for those who needed some.
I have had one or two shattering moments in my life, and I remember that despite trying to find something to soothe the pain, only Jesus truly soothes!

The bible tells of a remarkable event that happened in Bethany , a man called Lazarus was sick, his sisters Mary and Martha were very wise in reaching out to Jesus as soon as they could, they knew that Jesus could heal and make him whole. When the message came to Jesus he said boldly “this sickness will not end in death..” John 11:4
That is how it is with us really when the storm starts raging, we should understand that as long as we have handed it over to Jesus it WONT go south, even if it begins to look like it does, it wont!! Jesus is able.
 ONLY Jesus is able.

When the bible says there is no other name under heaven given to men by which they should be saved, it really means it, and while we’ll easily limit the salvation to just salvation from sin, its a lot much more than that. It’s the whole package. Would we rather spend all our money to on things that cant really help us, than for us to come to Jesus who wont charge us any money?
Jesus said
“The Lord’s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me
to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers,
Luke 4:18

Written by:

Emeka Onwuegbuzia