The Thoughtless Pilot
Once, a thoughtless pilot got into an ill-equipped
single-engine plane and took off. He didn't know much about
how to handle the instruments--he just flew. The plane had
no lights but he was flying up to a little country airstrip
where he would land, he thought, before sunset.
Unfortunately, he had strong winds against him and he didn't
make it in time. The sun had already settled behind the
western mountains and a haze was over the landing strip.
Nearing the airstrip, he came down lower but he could not
make out the boundaries of the runway. Panic seized him as
he sensed he didn't have much fuel left. The runway was not
equipped with lights, and he had no way of getting in touch
with anyone. He began to circle. He realized one of those
circling moments would be his last. He would crash to his
death.
Down on the ground, a man was sitting on his porch and his
sensitive ears were bothered by the drone of the engine as
he kept hearing the plane going around and around and
around. And he thought, "That guy's in trouble." Quickly he
sped over to the runway and began to drive up and down the
runway with his lights on bright, up and down, showing that
young, inexperienced, pilot how to find his way. The pilot
turned. With a great breath of relief he began to land the
plane. At the end of the runway the driver turned around and
flashed his lights on the high beam and sat there, as if to
say, "This is the end of the runway, and there are the
lights." That pilot came right in and landed safely. A near
tragedy was averted by sensitivity to need.
When people are in trouble, we need to sense their needs and
be willing to help them.
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in
this story please authenticate and I will be happy to
credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.
Thanks to Keith Smith The Christian and Bible Resource
Center