The steamboat "Columbian" had
been built in 1898, in Victoria, B.C.
She (I find it interesting that ships are always
feminine, don't you? Could this be because most pilots and captains are men?)
began her commission with the Canadian Development Company, and in 1901 she was
sent to the Yukon to run the Yukon River between Whitehorse and Dawson City. She
was a popular boat, and she always sailed with a full complement of cargo and
passengers.
Until September 25th, 1906, that is.
September 25, 1906 was the day the Columbian would
lose her usefulness. She was heading downriver towards Dawson that day, with her
usual complement of cargo and passengers. Among the cargo was a load of
explosives to be used in the mines. Up until that time, no one had ever given a
second thought to carrying explosives on steamships that also carried
passengers; but that, too, would change.
One of the passengers aboard the Columbian that day
accidentally fired a shotgun blast into a barrel of dynamite. The story goes
that he was shooting at wild ducks on the river and his shot went wild. Whatever
the reason, putting a shotgun blast into a barrel of dynamite is never a good
idea, and it caused a colossal explosion that resulted in the deaths of five
passengers and the total destruction of the Columbian.
The Colombian had been a ship with a promising future,
but her future was completely ruined by the single shot of a gun! The same is
true with the words we use. We often accidentally fire an explosive word that
hits something other than the target we're aiming for.
The consequences are always devastating; however
unlike the destruction that was so evident on the Columbian, the destruction of
our explosive words is not always noticeable. Rather, the damage is often to the
self-worth of the recipient, and this can serve to forever alter their destiny.
No wonder James warned us to put a watch over our
mouths against explosive words: "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone
should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's
anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get
rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the
word planted in you, which can save you." (James 1:19-21 NIV)
What kind of a "shotgun" do you use? I have decided to
bury mine.
Rob Chaffart
P. S: In the wake of the destruction of the Columbian,
it was no longer legal for passengers to travel aboard steamships carrying
explosives. This posed a problem however, because explosives were carried aboard
every steamship making the run from Whitehorse to Dawson City. Steamship
companies were quite ingenious in their solution to the problem posed by this
rule: Every passenger boarding a steamship was immediately signed up as a member
of the crew! The rule didn't state explosives couldn't travel with crew members!
Problem resolved! But that's another story!
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.