Pearl harbor taught me a lesson
Two weeks ago, I enjoyed the honor of visiting Pearl Harbor. It was a moving experience that brought tears to my eyes more than once. To view the image of the Arizona, which was about three football fields long, submerged under the blue-green harbor waters, was eerie. One of the enormous gun turrets still juts out of the surface about twelve feet. 1,177 men went down with the ship; their bodies were never recovered but lay in the watery grave with their vessel.
334 crew members survived, and most have chosen to be interred within the ship upon their passing. Divers testify that when the remains contained in wooden boxes are taken to the porthole where they will be dropped into the ship, the water flow sucks the box from their hands into the ship. It is as if the vessel is accepting the remains of its crew.
Of the thousands of sad stories born from this tragedy, one stood out above the others. In those days, radar was not nearly as sophisticated as today, and there were no cell phones or satellites. One lone officer named Kermit Tyler oversaw the radar center on the north side of the island when a radar operator reported the most significant blip on the screen he had ever seen. Unfortunately, Tyler told the operator not to be concerned because there were a large group of B-52 bombers supposedly on route to the island from San Francisco that morning. He had every reason to believe this was the image the operator saw. In fact, what radar was detecting was the first wave of Japanese aircraft about to attack the Naval station at Pearl Harbor.
Though Tyler was cleared of blame by several boards of inquiry, he never lived down the reputation that he might have saved hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives, had he made further inquiries about the radar report. He died in 2010 at the age of 96 after a long military career. Yet, he passed believing that the commissions to whom he answered caused him never to excel beyond the rank of lieutenant colonel.
I cannot imagine living with one’s entire life under a cloud of suspicion and doubt that he could have been responsible for so many deaths. All because the officer did not respond well to a possible threat.
Most of us will never make decisions that affect so many lives, yet we all make innumerable vital choices that have serious consequences. We will often make decisions without the benefit of complete information, and others will depend upon promptings and hunches. Our intuition informs us to act based upon previous experiences and the wisdom gained from numerous mistakes.
It is helpful to be aware our intuition is often “God-tuition.” The Bible is replete with examples and instructions telling us to listen for the still small voice of the Father as He prompts us through the Holy Spirit. It is wise to act upon God-tuition.
Many years ago, a good friend and member of our church was dying of cancer. She fought a noble battle and outlived most estimates of her life expectancy. Near the end, she spent most of her days lying on the sofa, often praying her long list of concerns for others. Another friend spent much time caring for her by cooking meals, cleaning, and reading her the Bible. One day when she could barely talk, she called her friend to her side and pulled her close. She asked if her friend ever felt prompted to call someone, write a note, or check on someone. She described a quiet voice inside her mind telling her to act on something. The friend confirmed that she did sometimes sense those feelings.
At that moment, my dying friend grasped an arm and pulled the other one very close to her face. In little more than a whisper, she said firmly, “Don’t ever neglect to act upon those promptings because they are from God.” She went on to explain that she felt it was a grave sin to ignore such prodding from the heart of God.
t was not long until Gwen passed on to be with her Father, but her caregiver and friend never forgot that one quiet afternoon. She has told me several times through the years that she follows that advice, and it has served her well.
Our reaction, or lack thereof, to the still small voice inside us can have life-giving or life-taking consequences. As one matures, they find the journey through this life with the Almighty is less about following rules and more about hearing the quiet voice of the Spirit and then acting upon the message.
Next time you sense an idea to call someone, to give an encouraging word, to write an email or text, or to speak to a stranger, take care not to ignore it.
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
