We need not face marriage and parenting as a pilot who can’t see his instrument panel.
It was a sunny day in the fall of 2007, a beautiful day to fly. Jim O’Neill, aged 65 who had 18 years of flying experience, had guided the two-seater Cessna aircraft to about 5,500 feet when he noticed that the instruments in the cockpit seemed to be unusually bright, to the point that he really couldn’t see what they read. Then suddenly things got darker. As he considered this, he reasoned that it was because of the sun shining through the window. But the trouble continued. In fact, a few minutes later he declared an emergency. Soon all those involved knew that there were bigger problems than looking into the sun or the sun shining off instruments. Jim O’Neill was unable to see anything. At 5,500 feet he was literally flying blind! (Later he learned that he had a stroke while flying that day. The part of his brain most affected dealt with sight; he was truly blind.) Those who have done some flying say it’s hard to combat the feeling that you should ignore your instruments and just fly by feeling. Instructors drill into you to trust your instruments! But what do you do when you can’t even see your instruments?
Christians enter marriage and parenting without training. In a sense we start out flying blind. Yet, God said His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105) Do you filter all of your marriage and parenting decisions through the grid of God’s Word? God does not intend us to face family relationships and responsibilities flying blind.
The first course of action was to talk Mr. O’Neill down. The air traffic controllers tried to tell him what to do next, but it didn’t seem to be working. Jim O’Neill was simply too scared to try to land that way. That’s when Wing Cdr Paul Gerrard joined the story. He was a chief flying instructor at a local RAF base. Risking his own life, he flew another plane up to where Jim O’Neill was flying. Talking to him and staying close, he told him point by point what to do. After three aborted attempts at landing, Jim O’Neill successfully landed his plane at the Air Force Base. At last report he was recovering well, while admittedly a bit shocked at the whole ordeal.
Some of us have had lots of experience in both marriage and parenting. Our duty is to pass on what we have learned to the next generation. (Psalm 78:4) To help others 1) we must be willing to be available and to get involved in others’ lives. Americans are taught to live for retirement. God says to live for Him and never give up investing in others. 2) The younger must be willing to ask and receive instruction. If Mr. O’Neill hadn’t followed Gerrard’s instructions, it would have been fatal. Much wisdom and experience is all around you. Take advantage of it!
