Enduring Hardship
by Lisa Coleman
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Martin Luther King
When we think about people who speak up we would likely include what is labeled ‘whistleblowers’. There have been a multitude of movies made about these unlikely heroes. They risk careers, friendships, and private lives to speak truth about injustice.
Back in the mid-1800’s in Great Britain, it was common practice for ship owners to overload their ships to maximize profits. These ships often sank in bad weather then allowing the owners to profit even more on the over-insured ships. They became known as “coffin ships” and sailors would refuse to go work on these ships. Incredulously, they were then imprisoned for desertion. In 1868 a young politician, Samuel Plimsoll, employed his Biblical faith to this gross injustice. Ship-owning politicians tried to block his efforts but when a particularly devastating storm wrecked 23 ships with 70 seamen killed, Plimsoll displayed the sailors’ grieving widows in public and distributed 600,000 copies of a book exposing the vile practices of the ship owners. Finally, Parliament passed the 1875 Merchant Shipping Act which required vessels to display the Plimsoll Mark. It was a load line, painted clearly on their hulls, showing how deep they could safely sit in the water and prevent overloading. This new practice saved thousands of lives of seamen who were caught in an unjust situation.
Others we depend on to speak truth are auto mechanics and physicians. While malfunctioning cars are certainly an inconvenience, there are situations where a major failure could put our lives in jeopardy. Brakes fail, engines overheat, or the car won’t start in a perfect storm of circumstances, and we could face catastrophe. We certainly want truth when it comes to the safety of our vehicles!
Worse still, imagine going to the doctor and being told we are perfect specimens of health only to suffer a heart attack on the way to Donut Heaven! You find out your arteries were clogged to the max. Imagine going back to the doctor and asking, “Why didn’t you warn me I was at risk?” The doctor answers, “I knew you were in bad shape, but I didn’t want to risk offending you. You wouldn’t come back, and my business would suffer.” We’d be furious. We wanted the truth!
Sometimes the opportunity to speak up is simply concern and kindness towards others. James R. Needham from Tallahassee, FL tells this story:
A finely dressed man sat at a table, his Armani suit and stiffly pressed shirt coordinated perfectly with a “power” tie. His wing-tipped shoes sparkled from a recent shine. Every hair was in place, including his perfectly groomed mustache.
The man sat alone, eating a bagel, as he prepared for a meeting. As he reviewed the papers before him, he appeared nervous, glancing frequently at his Rolex watch. It was obvious he had an important meeting ahead.
The man stood up and prepared to leave. There was a blob of cream cheese attached to his finely groomed mustache. He was about to go into the world, dressed in his finest, with cream cheese on his face. I thought of the business meeting he was about to attend. Who would tell him? Should I? What if no one did?
All of us have flaws. That’s why Christian community is so important. We need others to walk with us, friends who see us as we are, including our blemishes and blunders. We need brothers and sisters who care enough to speak the truth in love and offer a word of kind correction.
There are many ways to practice Vocal Discipleship. Join us this Sunday to see how the Apostle Paul did it. He has some things to say!
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