March 2008

The time change this month brought back a memory for me from many years ago. I thought back to my first job. I took a job while I was in High School and although this in not an unusual happening, it was not a typical job for a teenager. I was hired as an afternoon radio announcer at the local AM radio station. I would report for work immediately after school and work until dark. My shift ended when the sun went down because the station was only licensed to broadcast during daylight hours. So, if sundown came later, I worked longer and made a bigger paycheck. This also meant I was the ‘sign-off person’ responsible for securing the building and making sure all the equipment was ready for the next morning. One afternoon the station’s engineer, nicknamed ‘Doc,’ came to talk with me. “I need to show you an important piece of equipment since you’re the sign-off man now,” Doc said. So I put on a long record and followed Doc out the front door. “The radio tower has a light on the top,” Doc explained, “that must be operational at all times. If not, we could get fined.” I looked up and saw the big, red beacon blinking on and off way up in the sky. We made our way behind the station building, into the woods through the briars and honeysuckles, until we were finally at the base of the tower. Several metals boxes and black cable wires were strewn everywhere and I felt a bit of excitement over learning how to care for such vital equipment. I was paying close attention. Doc kneeled down and gently loosened a door on one of the equipment boxes and contained inside was a metal lever, two foot in length, rocking back and forth much like a see-saw. When the rocker arm went down on the left, the red light on the tower went on. When it rocked right, the light went out. Sitting atop the see-saw light switch was a common, ordinary river rock that looked to be about 5 pounds and about the size of a cantaloupe. Doc, still on both knees, looked up at me and said “if the light ain’t on, the rock fell off. Just come out here and put the rock back where it belongs.” After that day I was given the title “Operations Manager” because I was in charge of the rock. The Bible mentions a Rock. Christ is the Rock of our salvation (Psalm 18:2) and once we realize and accept this truth, we are called to be light to the world (Matthew 5:14). The problem is we get distracted and discouraged by the world. We feel like we can’t make a difference. We feel like no one wants to hear the gospel. We think no one notices when we whine and complain instead of praising and rejoicing. Our light is not shining. We need to check on the Rock. We need to make sure the Rock is at the very heart of all we say and do and to borrow the words of Doc, “If the light ain’t on, the rock fell off.” We need to put the Rock back where it belongs. The end of each day would be a good time to ask ourselves, “Is my light shining?” And, if not, climb through the brambles and the briars of our soul, find the Rock and put it back.

See you Sunday,
Pastor Kevin

Emergency Chaplain
www.emergencychaplain.org

Federation of Fire Chaplains
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International Critical Incident Stress Foundation
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North Carolina Chaplains Association
www.ncchaplains.com