THE CAPTAIN AND THE SEAMAN: A LESSON IN HUMILITY

"Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. "
~Saint Augustine

Hope by Jens Auer

I read and cut out the following story from Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family bulletin in December of 2000. This is a great story about humility and seeing things as they truly are.

In Proceedings, the official magazine of the Naval Institute, Frank Koch reported on a very unusual encounter at sea.

A battleship had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather. Shortly after the sun went down, the lookout reported a light in the distance, so the captain had the signalman send a message: "We are on a collision course. Advise you change course 20 degrees."

Minutes later a signal came back: "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees."

The captain angrily ordered that another signal be sent: "I'm a captain. Change course 20 degrees."

Again came the reply: "I'm a seaman, second class. You had better change course 20 degrees."

Furious by this point, the captain barked a final threat. "I'm a battleship! Change course 20 degrees!"

The signal came back: "I'm a lighthouse."

The captain changed his course.

I don't care how big and powerful a person may become; it's foolhardy to ignore the beacons that warn us of danger. They take various forms: symptoms of health problems, prolonged marital conflict, rebellious children, excessive debt, stress that ties us in knots. These are the warning signs of approaching danger. It matters not that we're successful, influential, and busy.

When a seaman, second class, sits in a lighthouse somewhere and signals, "Change your course," the wise captain does so with haste.

QUESTION:  Why do we miss so many of the "lighthouses" in our lives? Please post comments below.