John Madden, the famed sportscaster, used to crisscross the country many times each fall by bus because he was afraid of flying. There’s a lot of fear in this world.
I sat beside a lady on a plane who had never flown before, and she was scared to death. She was very excited when she found out that I was a psychologist who worked for a church. I told her everything would be okay because “up there” we’d be close to the home office.
What I noticed was that her fear was contagious. The more she talked, the more afraid I started to get. I forgot to put my tray table in its upright and locked position, and the flight attendant gave me that look, so I immediately put it up. Then I started wondering why putting the tray table up was such a big deal? I have never read about a plane crash where the ones killed were the only ones who forgot to put their tray tables in the upright and locked position.
Then I started listening to the flight attendant talk about the exit doors: “The white lights lead to the red lights that lead to the exit doors.” At 38,000 feet I’m thinking, “Why do I need the exit doors?” Then I’m told that I have a flotation device under my seat. We’re flying over New Mexico; it’s all desert! People say that in Albuquerque, when we had the big flood (you know, as in Noah) we got only four inches. It’s so dry the cows have to graze at 60 mph to keep from starving to death, and they produce powdered milk. I don’t need a flotation device under my seat. I need a parachute!
Then I started thinking about “airplane poison” — one drop will kill you. I thought about all the crashes I’ve read about. They always talk about those black boxes made out of indestructible material. I wonder why they don’t make airplanes out of that material. I remember the old preacher who wouldn’t fly because he said the Lord said, “Lo, I am with you always” — not high.
Now I’m frightened. I’m focused on my fears instead of my faith. We are ready to take off. I look down that long runway. I see that it’s really just a short road that leads nowhere. If I were in a car, I would call this runway a dead end. But I’m in a plane, not a car, and this plane has enough power to overcome that dead end and make it a runway to many wonderful things God has in store for me.
I guess that may be the difference between faith and fear. Fear is seeing situations as dead ends (“This will be the end of me”). Faith is seeing dead-ends as runways (“This could be the beginning of something great”). You must have the faith to believe there will be enough power when you come to a dead end.
It’s always been that way. Twelve spies went out to see the Promised Land. Ten saw giants, and two saw God. Ten saw a dead end, and two saw a runway to the biggest grapes they’d ever seen. By the way, grapes and giants often come together. You’re not going to get the good stuff (grapes) without facing your fears (giants). Faith is seeing God in every situation and believing He has the power to turn every dead end into a runway.
Well, it was take-off time. The lady beside me was talking nervously about all her fears. Now I was ready — not only to take off, but also to share my faith with my new friend. When people share their fears with you, share your faith with them. It’s God’s way of keeping your concentration on the runway instead of the dead end.
Put your tray table in its upright and locked position and prepare to eat airplane food. Now that’s something to be afraid of.