The Journey Part 3

It was the summer of 1973. The U.S. was looking for a way to save face and get out of Viet Nam. I was a B-52 mechanic in the U.S. Air Force. I was stationed in Guam. We were working 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week launching and recovering up to 30 aircraft per day. Each one was loaded with up to 66 five hundred pound bombs. We were carpet bombing Viet Nam and Cambodia providing cover for our troops as they were loading up to leave the country. Then it dawned on me. Those bombs were killing people, and in many cases innocent civilians, some of who were children.

It was the first time I understood that "collateral damage" was a term used as a euphemism that included not only property, but people as well. This thought played on my mind each day as I reported for duty and left me restless each night as I tried to sleep.

One evening, after completing my duty shift, I returned to the barracks to find one of my fellow airmen passed out drunk sleeping on my bunk. I literally lost it. I flew into a blind rage and I grabbed the guy by the neck and started choking him. I was later told that it took 5 guys to pry me loose. I didn't remember much, other than I was angrier than I had ever been.

I stripped the bed of the sheets and headed to laundry supply to get some clean bedding. I returned, hastily made my bed and lay down on my back with my hands behind my head staring at the bottom of the bunk above me. One of the other fellows in our cubicle of bunks whom I had never even shared a greeting said to me, "The answers to the questions you have are found in the Bible." That's all he said. I never saw him again. I later learned that he was transferred to another base the next day.

As I lay there stewing in my frustration, the words played in my head like a tape recording over and over. All at once I remembered that I was given a Bible by the Gideon's when I was inducted into the armed services. I had carried it dutifully with me to basic training, technical training, my first home base assignment and then on to my tour of duty to Guam. I had never read the Bible, and it wasn't much more than a good luck charm to me. I proceeded to open my locker and dump all of the contents on my bed. There at the bottom of the duffel bag was the little green Gideon's New Testament.

I started to read at the beginning and sensed that the words were written specifically for me. I was introduced to the person and work of Jesus and his followers. I read the entire New Testament in two days. At the back of the Bible was a "decision" page. It had a simple prayer to recite and a space to sign my name and provide the date. On November 11, 1973 I surrendered my life to Jesus as my Savior and Lord.

There are a lot of details that add color commentary to this part of the journey, but the most important part has been recorded. I was now a new creature, a believer and follower of Jesus.

That night I set my radio alarm clock for 6AM. At precisely 6AM the radio turned on and I was awakened to Johnny Nash singing, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone. All of the dark feelings have disappeared. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It's gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day." My heart leapt inside of me, as I was instantly convinced that those words were absolutely true. To this day every time I hear that song I remember that I have given my life to Jesus and his promises are true and sure. Imagine that, God would use a secular singer, song-writer to confirm his work in me. I l ike to jokingly say that Rod Stewart and Johnny Nash were instrumental in leading me to Jesus.

I was transferred back to the States four days later. That's where I'll pick up the story.

Refreshing New Perspectives on Christianity and Culture

Every once in a while it is a good idea to leave my comfort zone and listen or observe a brother or sister in Christ who lives in a totally different environment than I do. This brother wears his faith on his sleeve. He is not afraid to engage the culture and the church with his understanding of what the issues are for Christians in America.

Engaging the culture in the name of Christ means standing up against injustice wherever it is found. This is not a political battle, it is a cultural and spiritual battle. The application of the gospel in every area of life is absolutely essential if we are to combat and be victorious over many of the sins that plague our society.

There is an old saying that "politics makes for strange bedfellows." I am convinced that to truly stand up for issues that should be important to Christians, there must be a willingness to embrace people who are vastly different from me.

As I look at my life, I see that I have been thrust into a fellowship of people who differ greatly from me economically, educationally, culturally, and even spiritually. The church is the great experiment in reconciliation. If people can get along in the church, they should be able to build bridges in any area of society.

Whether it is AIDS, or abortion, drugs, racism or poverty, Christians should unite to find answers. There may be much debate, some of it loud and messy, but in the long run our love for fellow Christians should be the ultimate witness to our culture. After all, Jesus did say, "they will know you are my disciples by your love for one another."

What do you think? What will it take for Christians to bridge the great divide on certain social issues? What experiences have you had fellowshipping and/or working alongside of a Christian that is greatly different from you?