Whether or not you are in emergency services, you have had to cope with a foggy road or blinding rain while trying to find an address. Whether it's visiting a friend in the country or trying to respond to an emergency down a county road, the feeling that you may be lost makes can be a very eerie feeling.
On a recent structure fire call, a storm had passed through, dropping the temperatures significantly. We were responding during the heaviest winds and rain of this particular thunderstorm. Upon arrival, a fog settled in, dampening efforts yet again, and forcing a smoke blanket from the house fire to drop on the personnel all over the fire scene.
Today, my fire department responded to what we call a "well intent" call. Basically, someone sees or smells smoke but cannot put their finger on its source. In those occasions, we get called to find the source. Again, when you are responding to an unknown location, it can be an eerie feeling not knowing what type of fire or situation lies ahead.
Those scenarios are the back drop for a prayer I had read to me this week by a good friend. If you feel at times like you have no idea where you are going in life, take joy in knowing that you are not alone in this struggle. The words below may shed some light.
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road.
Though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me.
And you will never leave me to face my struggles alone.
– Thomas Merton
Showing posts with label fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fire. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Finishing the Job
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus -- the work of telling other the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
There is nothing I hate more after a fire than getting home, taking a nice warm shower, then hearing the pager go off to return to a fire that has rekindled. It doesn't happen often, but every once in a while, a hot spot is missed and the result is a rekindling. Most the time, this never amounts to much further spread of wildfires, but it can certainly be a disastrous occurrence.
One of the speeches -- I am known for getting a soap box occasionally -- I often give rookies on their first grass fire is the importance of completing the job. Almost like a paraphrase of the Acts passage I quoted above, I can often be overheard telling newer firefighters "all the work we do today is worth nothing if we do not complete the job... we'll only be called out here again at 2am to finish it anyway." Our job as firefighters is worthless if we do not finish the job and fully extinguish the fire. Usually, once my explanation of being called back in the middle of the night sinks in, the firefighter agrees and works harder and smarter to complete the job before leaving the scene.
A few weeks ago, I posted some thoughts about the Great Commission. At that time, I was focusing on filters and biases that we often unknowingly put on the concept of spreading the good news. When we removed the blinders, we not only see how tunnel visioned we have become, but also see the endless possibilities when we put no limits on God's desire for us to share the Jesus story. I want to return to the Great Commission now, but to ponder on a more broad concept. As I said, we are instructed in this Matthew 28 passage to make disciples of all nations. Later, in the Acts 20 passage above, we hear Paul declare to the elders of the church in Ephesus that his life is worth nothing unless he does not complete the command placed on his life... sharing the Jesus story. Of course this is only after he declares that the Spirit has warned him that jail time and suffering are in his future.
My life is worth nothing if I don't complete my work. Would I be able to make that declaration if I knew for certain that it would lead to jail time and suffering? As Christians, that is the expectation.
I often hear Christians share their desires to create financial stability, raise a loving family, then possibly do some short term mission work later in life. All of these are wonderful aspirations in and of themselves, but if I were offered my picture-perfect American lifestyle knowing that it might lead to me not completing the commands set out before me, I hope my choice would be to surrender those desires in order to share the Gospel. Anybody thinking that late in life is a great time to start mission work might consider renting the movie UP by Pixar. If you have a heart to share the gospel as, in fact, the Spirit dwelling in all of us yearns to do, then waiting until later is never the right time to start.
--
What has God placed on your heart about sharing his story lately?
Digging a little deeper than I was able to go in a short blog post, what does it mean to count your life as nothing?
What might be the response if all Christians really did count their lives as nothing and instead rush to finish the work assigned to us?
There is nothing I hate more after a fire than getting home, taking a nice warm shower, then hearing the pager go off to return to a fire that has rekindled. It doesn't happen often, but every once in a while, a hot spot is missed and the result is a rekindling. Most the time, this never amounts to much further spread of wildfires, but it can certainly be a disastrous occurrence.
One of the speeches -- I am known for getting a soap box occasionally -- I often give rookies on their first grass fire is the importance of completing the job. Almost like a paraphrase of the Acts passage I quoted above, I can often be overheard telling newer firefighters "all the work we do today is worth nothing if we do not complete the job... we'll only be called out here again at 2am to finish it anyway." Our job as firefighters is worthless if we do not finish the job and fully extinguish the fire. Usually, once my explanation of being called back in the middle of the night sinks in, the firefighter agrees and works harder and smarter to complete the job before leaving the scene.A few weeks ago, I posted some thoughts about the Great Commission. At that time, I was focusing on filters and biases that we often unknowingly put on the concept of spreading the good news. When we removed the blinders, we not only see how tunnel visioned we have become, but also see the endless possibilities when we put no limits on God's desire for us to share the Jesus story. I want to return to the Great Commission now, but to ponder on a more broad concept. As I said, we are instructed in this Matthew 28 passage to make disciples of all nations. Later, in the Acts 20 passage above, we hear Paul declare to the elders of the church in Ephesus that his life is worth nothing unless he does not complete the command placed on his life... sharing the Jesus story. Of course this is only after he declares that the Spirit has warned him that jail time and suffering are in his future.
My life is worth nothing if I don't complete my work. Would I be able to make that declaration if I knew for certain that it would lead to jail time and suffering? As Christians, that is the expectation.
I often hear Christians share their desires to create financial stability, raise a loving family, then possibly do some short term mission work later in life. All of these are wonderful aspirations in and of themselves, but if I were offered my picture-perfect American lifestyle knowing that it might lead to me not completing the commands set out before me, I hope my choice would be to surrender those desires in order to share the Gospel. Anybody thinking that late in life is a great time to start mission work might consider renting the movie UP by Pixar. If you have a heart to share the gospel as, in fact, the Spirit dwelling in all of us yearns to do, then waiting until later is never the right time to start.
--
What has God placed on your heart about sharing his story lately?
Digging a little deeper than I was able to go in a short blog post, what does it mean to count your life as nothing?
What might be the response if all Christians really did count their lives as nothing and instead rush to finish the work assigned to us?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Whose time is it, and why can't I have a drive?
Sometimes I wish that time was like a best friend's car. I don't want to be in control all the time, but once in a while I want to take 'er for a spin! In life, I tend to be somewhat of a control freak until the point at which I actually gain control... and then I just get tired of the organization and am happy to give the reigns back to the original owner. Time is no exception to this rule.
Unfortunately, in life, in fire service, and in our service to God, that is not an option. My wife blogged recently about a particularly frustrating night working on fundraising. No doubt this was a particularly frustrating night, because her entire plan for the evening's chain of events was broken by an unfortunate oversight at Wal*Mart. You might have also noticed that I was noticeably absent from any of the afore-blogged events. I have not become a deadbeat to my family's fundraising efforts, though, I was definitely occupied that evening. Just about the time my wife was forgetting her ink cartridges, a familiar set of long tones followed by dispatcher's voice blurted out over my pager. "Possible structure fire; occupants unknown." I spent from approximately 6pm Friday night until 4am Saturday morning fighting fire in the driving rain and frequent lightning. In all honestly, a weekend fire can be a good stress release (though certainly a tragedy) after a long week; however, this particular week was promising to end with a laundry list of to-dos... It certainly was the poster child of bad timing. In fact, that entire night was a case study for the art of bad timing.
**digression, for clarity's sake**
That particular night, only four responders from Potosi responded due to many people being on vacation, at work, or dealing with family issues. Bad timing #1. Our neighbor, Buffalo Gap was already in another fire fight when this page was sent out. Bad timing #2. We were forced to rely on Abilene Fire Department (who was also busy with their own community to protect) to assist. Another department was requested, but never responded. Bad timing #3. In addition to low staffing, the fire occurred in an area with no hydrants. Bad placement (ergo timing) #4. No hydrants = no water to put the fire out. No staffing = nobody to drive the tankers to water shuttle from the hydrants two miles away. Every attempt at an attack led to the same problem... running out of water and waiting on trucks to bring more. This was yet another example of timing issues.
**regression, if that's what you call it**
On a night when I am promised the possibility of a relaxing pizza, coke, and a movie with my beautiful bride, I instead spend the night fighting fire. All this, again, is an example of why volunteering is both a blessing and a curse as well as an all-around tiring job.
I am reminded that we are never promised good timing by God. A teacher of the law asked Christ one day if he could go where Christ was going. In a round about way, Christ said yes... the man's response? First let me bury my father. Many ask to be part of the Kingdom, but few are prepared for God's response. It's usually simply a matter of timing. Kenny Chesney says it this way:
My wife said it another way. In a recent private email response to a dear friend's blog post about missions and support, my wife spoke about the lessons our team has learned about timing. I could spend the next half hour describing those lessons, but here is the synopsis:
Our original launch date was Fall 2007. Our team did not complete forming until January 2008 and still has one training module to complete this Fall. Our launch date got moved all the way to January 2010, but we will still miss this launch date.
Why? Because God has control of the timing and we do not. This posting might sound a little more rambled than my others, and certainly has no clear cut ending. Maybe that is because it is a lesson I am still learning.
The point, however, is that in life, fire service, and missions, I do not have the luxury of optional controls as I described in my opening paragraph. In life you get two choices: 1) God's at the helm and we get to join in his exciting journey, or 2) We take control, and we fail to fulfill God's plan for us. I often provide lip service to wanting the former to occur, yet in the end selfishly fall into the latter.
Where do you fall? Are you comfortable with letting God take control of the timing in your life? If so, congratulations, and, How? Or, are you like me, and want to take control when convenient? I can honestly say, I have met many people in both categories. I applaud those who have intentionally formed in themselves the ability to wait on God's plan to come to fruition. I think I am still riding the fence as of the time of this posting.
Unfortunately, in life, in fire service, and in our service to God, that is not an option. My wife blogged recently about a particularly frustrating night working on fundraising. No doubt this was a particularly frustrating night, because her entire plan for the evening's chain of events was broken by an unfortunate oversight at Wal*Mart. You might have also noticed that I was noticeably absent from any of the afore-blogged events. I have not become a deadbeat to my family's fundraising efforts, though, I was definitely occupied that evening. Just about the time my wife was forgetting her ink cartridges, a familiar set of long tones followed by dispatcher's voice blurted out over my pager. "Possible structure fire; occupants unknown." I spent from approximately 6pm Friday night until 4am Saturday morning fighting fire in the driving rain and frequent lightning. In all honestly, a weekend fire can be a good stress release (though certainly a tragedy) after a long week; however, this particular week was promising to end with a laundry list of to-dos... It certainly was the poster child of bad timing. In fact, that entire night was a case study for the art of bad timing.
**digression, for clarity's sake**
That particular night, only four responders from Potosi responded due to many people being on vacation, at work, or dealing with family issues. Bad timing #1. Our neighbor, Buffalo Gap was already in another fire fight when this page was sent out. Bad timing #2. We were forced to rely on Abilene Fire Department (who was also busy with their own community to protect) to assist. Another department was requested, but never responded. Bad timing #3. In addition to low staffing, the fire occurred in an area with no hydrants. Bad placement (ergo timing) #4. No hydrants = no water to put the fire out. No staffing = nobody to drive the tankers to water shuttle from the hydrants two miles away. Every attempt at an attack led to the same problem... running out of water and waiting on trucks to bring more. This was yet another example of timing issues.
**regression, if that's what you call it**
On a night when I am promised the possibility of a relaxing pizza, coke, and a movie with my beautiful bride, I instead spend the night fighting fire. All this, again, is an example of why volunteering is both a blessing and a curse as well as an all-around tiring job.
I am reminded that we are never promised good timing by God. A teacher of the law asked Christ one day if he could go where Christ was going. In a round about way, Christ said yes... the man's response? First let me bury my father. Many ask to be part of the Kingdom, but few are prepared for God's response. It's usually simply a matter of timing. Kenny Chesney says it this way:
My wife said it another way. In a recent private email response to a dear friend's blog post about missions and support, my wife spoke about the lessons our team has learned about timing. I could spend the next half hour describing those lessons, but here is the synopsis:
Our original launch date was Fall 2007. Our team did not complete forming until January 2008 and still has one training module to complete this Fall. Our launch date got moved all the way to January 2010, but we will still miss this launch date.
Why? Because God has control of the timing and we do not. This posting might sound a little more rambled than my others, and certainly has no clear cut ending. Maybe that is because it is a lesson I am still learning.
The point, however, is that in life, fire service, and missions, I do not have the luxury of optional controls as I described in my opening paragraph. In life you get two choices: 1) God's at the helm and we get to join in his exciting journey, or 2) We take control, and we fail to fulfill God's plan for us. I often provide lip service to wanting the former to occur, yet in the end selfishly fall into the latter.
Where do you fall? Are you comfortable with letting God take control of the timing in your life? If so, congratulations, and, How? Or, are you like me, and want to take control when convenient? I can honestly say, I have met many people in both categories. I applaud those who have intentionally formed in themselves the ability to wait on God's plan to come to fruition. I think I am still riding the fence as of the time of this posting.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
...but not so good for churches
This past week, I had the blessing of attending Fire Rescue International (FRI), a national event planned and organized by the International Assoc. of Fire Chiefs. The event was in Dallas, which was especially nice, because I only had to drive 3 hours to get there. For those unfamiliar with FRI, it is 220,000 square feet of fire trucks, rescue equipment, safety equipment, communications, and more. It is pretty much a firefighter's dream house. While classes are always available for those interested in learning about current changes and events in the fire service, the pinnacle of these events is always the new fire trucks and fire equipment being released at the event. Most manufacturers and dealers spend 3-4 days setting up their booths, detailing trucks, and putting finishing touches on their (very expensive) displays. Some displays are over 1000 square feet.
While at the event, I began to notice an interesting phenomena. Some vendors had planned and prepared to have a very stunning display, while others appeared to have little foresight into their booths. It was intriguing to watch how many people stopped only at booths with the most presentable fire trucks, flashiest (is that a word?) light displays, or most friendly sales representatives. In short, people were window shopping based on appearance. As a salesman for a company that is well-known for having one of the most impressive displays at every single event, I am rather proud to say we were busy all weekend long. Our company prides itself on being able to take a basic truck with very few extras and turning it into a dream ride--something similar to taking a Honda Accord and turning it in to an Acura RL. The response, of course, is overwhelmingly positive.
With the expectations put on fire service organizations these days, people love to see how versatile we can make a basic fire truck. From EMS first response to rescue to structural response to wildland support to vehicle accidents, these trucks must be capable of doing everything... and believe me, they can do it. Having the most impressive display and most presentable "fit and finish" is a wonderful strategy for fire service equipment manufacturers and dealers...
...but not so good for churches. Currently living in Abilene, I come across a plethora of faith gatherings. Every well-known religion, denomination of Christianity, and even theological range of denomination is represented in abundance here. There are even gatherings devoted to those who oppose people of faith. When church leadership prepares a vision for the future of a given congregation, no doubt the concepts of marketing are guaranteed to be present. This is not a bad thing; however, what often results is a bad thing--and that is a contest to see who can make the most impressive display (and right now, I gotta tell ya, only Satan is winning this game.)
I am ashamed to say, I have often been part of the problem, not the solution. I have been on the church leadership side, where the focus is in a better worship experience, a prettier sign out front, or a more inviting foyer. I have also been part of the laymen, who wander from congregation to congregation on a whim, seeking only the gathering which provides the most impressive front. At the end of the day, though, isn't that all it really is: a front?
CHURCH: We are a fallen people, all imperfect, all sinful, and some of us rescued. Why are we acting like we have the most impressive display? Can we, in all our PowerPoint slides and praise teams/bands ever match the awe-inspiring glory of a host of angels? Can the most emotional sermon or the best church building entrance ever compare to the sight of a boulder rolled away from its resting place revealing an empty tomb? No. I don't think anybody would disagree with that, so maybe the best question would be "Why do we even try?"
I could give ample scenarios in which I have seen this same problem occur, but I don't think that is productive. Instead, I would rather pose a question: How do we, as Christ's body, get ourselves out of the rut that is our showmanship? How do we show others in the community that, not only do we not believe we have the most impressive display, it doesn't even matter if we do? For those of us not quite ready to cut those strings, how do we get to where we don't believe those things matter?
I look forward to hearing your response.
While at the event, I began to notice an interesting phenomena. Some vendors had planned and prepared to have a very stunning display, while others appeared to have little foresight into their booths. It was intriguing to watch how many people stopped only at booths with the most presentable fire trucks, flashiest (is that a word?) light displays, or most friendly sales representatives. In short, people were window shopping based on appearance. As a salesman for a company that is well-known for having one of the most impressive displays at every single event, I am rather proud to say we were busy all weekend long. Our company prides itself on being able to take a basic truck with very few extras and turning it into a dream ride--something similar to taking a Honda Accord and turning it in to an Acura RL. The response, of course, is overwhelmingly positive.
With the expectations put on fire service organizations these days, people love to see how versatile we can make a basic fire truck. From EMS first response to rescue to structural response to wildland support to vehicle accidents, these trucks must be capable of doing everything... and believe me, they can do it. Having the most impressive display and most presentable "fit and finish" is a wonderful strategy for fire service equipment manufacturers and dealers...
...but not so good for churches. Currently living in Abilene, I come across a plethora of faith gatherings. Every well-known religion, denomination of Christianity, and even theological range of denomination is represented in abundance here. There are even gatherings devoted to those who oppose people of faith. When church leadership prepares a vision for the future of a given congregation, no doubt the concepts of marketing are guaranteed to be present. This is not a bad thing; however, what often results is a bad thing--and that is a contest to see who can make the most impressive display (and right now, I gotta tell ya, only Satan is winning this game.)
I am ashamed to say, I have often been part of the problem, not the solution. I have been on the church leadership side, where the focus is in a better worship experience, a prettier sign out front, or a more inviting foyer. I have also been part of the laymen, who wander from congregation to congregation on a whim, seeking only the gathering which provides the most impressive front. At the end of the day, though, isn't that all it really is: a front?
CHURCH: We are a fallen people, all imperfect, all sinful, and some of us rescued. Why are we acting like we have the most impressive display? Can we, in all our PowerPoint slides and praise teams/bands ever match the awe-inspiring glory of a host of angels? Can the most emotional sermon or the best church building entrance ever compare to the sight of a boulder rolled away from its resting place revealing an empty tomb? No. I don't think anybody would disagree with that, so maybe the best question would be "Why do we even try?"
I could give ample scenarios in which I have seen this same problem occur, but I don't think that is productive. Instead, I would rather pose a question: How do we, as Christ's body, get ourselves out of the rut that is our showmanship? How do we show others in the community that, not only do we not believe we have the most impressive display, it doesn't even matter if we do? For those of us not quite ready to cut those strings, how do we get to where we don't believe those things matter?
I look forward to hearing your response.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
First Post: Rescue the Rescuer
Rather than give the seemingly obligatory first post that states "I never thought I would...but now I am," or "I finally broke down and started a blog," or some other variant of said post, I would rather jump right in. So, here I am, blogger world.
It is a firefighter's nightmare... the day his brother falls in a fire and needs rescuing. Unfortunately, given the unavoidably dangerous atmosphere that firefighters are asked to endure, scenarios like this are inevitable. Firefighters train for this through drill after drill, but the moment it happens, I am quite certain all training goes out the window and it is simply a matter of a race against the clock. I have embedded this video as an explanation of what I mean (warning, not suitable for all viewers):
I personally feel very blessed that I have never had to experience anything like this, yet it reminds me of my own faith journey in so many ways. By now, you most likely know that I am a firefighter--a volunteer to be exact--and if you know anything about firefighters, we relate almost every aspect of our life to those experiences.
In my life, I was blessed to have been in a Christian since around the age of 6. However, during a time in high school, I feel away from that faith and struggled both behaviorally and spiritually. There was not one single moment in my life where I was rescued, yet a series of events led to me eventually reigniting my faith, "rescuing me from the dominion of darkness," as Colossians 1 states. So, as a Christian, I needed rescuing. And I received the rescue operation that I needed.
In addition to the thought of being rescued, I also think about the firefighters who are performing the rescue. You see, I believe that Christ gave specific commands to his followers that stated we are to be rescuers to others who are in danger of falling. But his command didn't go unfunded... with this mandate, he gave the resources with which to rescue his creation. First, he gave a community, which is much like the brotherhood of firefighters. This community is intended to be strengthened through their gatherings and in their commonality in Christ to the extent that they should have a desire to see others rescued as they have too been rescued. With this community comes the second resource, the Bible. The canon itself is filled with story after story of people being rescued from the dominion of darkness, yet Christians so often forget that this book is a blueprint to guide in these rescue efforts. Finally, he gave not only a community and not only a book, but himself. He is the martyred example of how to rescue people from the dominion of darkness. It is through him that rescue can even be made. If it was a cause that he believed was worth giving the ultimate sacrifice for, it is a cause that Christians should seek to model in their own lives. As Penn--yes, the athiest magician of Penn and Teller--stated, "how much do you have to hate someone, if you believe there is a God and a heaven and a hell, not to proselytize?" You see, this man Jesus, in whom I claim to believe, died for a cause in which I claim to believe. If I, a follower of Jesus, truly believe that this world is need of God's rescuing hand, and that I possess the necessary information with which to perform the rescue, and I fail to do so, then there is no rational explanation other than hate. So, we are given a community, a spoken word, and a martyred example with which to share a method of example. In my metaphor of fire and rescue services, the martyred example would be fallen heroes of the past, from whom we can learn to prevent future disaster.
So, where do we go from here? The simple answer is to go and perform the rescue for which we have been trained and equipped. As I close this post, I think about the firefighter in the video embedded above. If you watched it to about 1:20, then you saw the darkness come crashing around him. I have been there--not physically; not literally. I praise God that I have not been in such a scenario in real life... but spiritually, that is where I have been. Yet I was rescued. By God's hand, through my wife, through my family, through my friends, I have received the rescue I so desperately needed. So again, I say, as Penn already did, "How much do we have to hate--if we believe in God and Heaven and Hell-- to not share in the news which could rescue others from the Dominion of Darkness?
On a lighter note: I felt like sharing a fun video as well. This week, I had the pleasure of doing some live fire training with my brothers of the Potosi Volunteer Fire Department. For those who have ever been just a little bit curious of what a real fire is like, here is a thermal imager video taken from inside the fire. Enjoy.
It is a firefighter's nightmare... the day his brother falls in a fire and needs rescuing. Unfortunately, given the unavoidably dangerous atmosphere that firefighters are asked to endure, scenarios like this are inevitable. Firefighters train for this through drill after drill, but the moment it happens, I am quite certain all training goes out the window and it is simply a matter of a race against the clock. I have embedded this video as an explanation of what I mean (warning, not suitable for all viewers):
I personally feel very blessed that I have never had to experience anything like this, yet it reminds me of my own faith journey in so many ways. By now, you most likely know that I am a firefighter--a volunteer to be exact--and if you know anything about firefighters, we relate almost every aspect of our life to those experiences.
In my life, I was blessed to have been in a Christian since around the age of 6. However, during a time in high school, I feel away from that faith and struggled both behaviorally and spiritually. There was not one single moment in my life where I was rescued, yet a series of events led to me eventually reigniting my faith, "rescuing me from the dominion of darkness," as Colossians 1 states. So, as a Christian, I needed rescuing. And I received the rescue operation that I needed.
In addition to the thought of being rescued, I also think about the firefighters who are performing the rescue. You see, I believe that Christ gave specific commands to his followers that stated we are to be rescuers to others who are in danger of falling. But his command didn't go unfunded... with this mandate, he gave the resources with which to rescue his creation. First, he gave a community, which is much like the brotherhood of firefighters. This community is intended to be strengthened through their gatherings and in their commonality in Christ to the extent that they should have a desire to see others rescued as they have too been rescued. With this community comes the second resource, the Bible. The canon itself is filled with story after story of people being rescued from the dominion of darkness, yet Christians so often forget that this book is a blueprint to guide in these rescue efforts. Finally, he gave not only a community and not only a book, but himself. He is the martyred example of how to rescue people from the dominion of darkness. It is through him that rescue can even be made. If it was a cause that he believed was worth giving the ultimate sacrifice for, it is a cause that Christians should seek to model in their own lives. As Penn--yes, the athiest magician of Penn and Teller--stated, "how much do you have to hate someone, if you believe there is a God and a heaven and a hell, not to proselytize?" You see, this man Jesus, in whom I claim to believe, died for a cause in which I claim to believe. If I, a follower of Jesus, truly believe that this world is need of God's rescuing hand, and that I possess the necessary information with which to perform the rescue, and I fail to do so, then there is no rational explanation other than hate. So, we are given a community, a spoken word, and a martyred example with which to share a method of example. In my metaphor of fire and rescue services, the martyred example would be fallen heroes of the past, from whom we can learn to prevent future disaster.
So, where do we go from here? The simple answer is to go and perform the rescue for which we have been trained and equipped. As I close this post, I think about the firefighter in the video embedded above. If you watched it to about 1:20, then you saw the darkness come crashing around him. I have been there--not physically; not literally. I praise God that I have not been in such a scenario in real life... but spiritually, that is where I have been. Yet I was rescued. By God's hand, through my wife, through my family, through my friends, I have received the rescue I so desperately needed. So again, I say, as Penn already did, "How much do we have to hate--if we believe in God and Heaven and Hell-- to not share in the news which could rescue others from the Dominion of Darkness?
On a lighter note: I felt like sharing a fun video as well. This week, I had the pleasure of doing some live fire training with my brothers of the Potosi Volunteer Fire Department. For those who have ever been just a little bit curious of what a real fire is like, here is a thermal imager video taken from inside the fire. Enjoy.
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