Challenger Disaster & The Problem of Pride

Greetings,

            Yesterday was the 20^th anniversary of the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster.  Brenda was very much into the Space program of NASA, and attended Space Camp and an advanced Space Camp at the Kennedy Space Center.  January 28 that year was a Wednesday, and I was getting ready for the weekly luncheon Bible study when the lift off and explosion occurred.  Brenda was in school, but as the news spread, she was deeply moved.  As the years passed, the investigations of the accident revealed not only the flaw in the “O” ring, and the problem, in view of that “O” ring condition, of launching in such cold weather, but also the fatal flaw in the thinking and culture of NASA.  NASA’s faults in large part represented the attitudes and expectations that the rest of the country put upon the space agency.  On the one hand the impossible was expected.  On the other hand, when NASA somehow did the impossible with frequency, there developed an attitude that NASA could do no wrong, that it was the ultimate efficient and effective agency, and the pride which Americans felt at the many successes of NASA became an inherent pride within the agency – which clouded their ability to think and reason clearly. 

Scripture speaks often of the problem of thinking more highly on one’s self than one ought to think.  I am reminded of another reading from Charles H. Spurgeon (one of the greatest English preachers in the 19^th century).

            “Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?”  (Ezekiel 15:2).

            [Peterson translates it: “Son of man, how would you compare the wood of a vine with the branches of any tree you’d find in the forest?”  Read the whole fifteenth chapter.  In this day, in our society, as much if not more than ever, we need Spurgeon’s reminder of the proper perspective.]

            These words are for the humbling of God’s people.  They are called God’s vine.  They, by God’s goodness, have become fruitful, having been planted in a good soul.  The Lord has trained the on the walls of the sanctuary, and they bring forth fruit to His glory.  But what are they without their God?  What are they without the continual influence of the Spirit?  Or, believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that you have no ground for it.  Whatever you are, you have nothing to make you proud.  The more you have, the more you are in debt to God.  Consider your origin!  Look back to what you were.  Consider what you would have been but for divine grace.  Look upon yourself as you are now.  Does your conscience reproach you?  And if He has made you anything, are you not taught that it is grace which has made you to differ?  You would have been a great sinner if God had not changed you.  Therefore, do not be proud, though you have a large estate—a wide domain of grace; once you did not have a single thing to call your own except your sin and misery.

Yours & His,

DED