Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Significance

Today is December 7, 2010. On December 7, 1941, the U.S. was attacked by Japanese on a seemingly normal military harbor in Hawaii. Today this harbor, Pearl Harbor, is famous because of the attack. This was the final push that moved the United States to join World War II. But this seemingly insignificant harbor is probably one of the most known harbors in the United States. Pearl Harbor stands as a monument for the lives that were lost in World War II, as well as its eventual victory.
Recently my home-school group and I had the privilege to go to a little, insignificant section of John Wayne airport where there are kept planes and other vehicles from WWII. All the old cars, motorcycles, and airplanes are still kept up, and still make drives and flights. However, the most interesting part of this small museum are the docents that work there. Most, if not all of them, are pilots that flew (and occasionally still fly) these planes in WWII and the Korean war. Most of these guys are in their 90s, who were in the war in their teens. If I was to pass these men on the street, I wouldn't even think twice. Each of these men (aside from looking in great health for their ages) would seem insignificant; just like passing anyone on the street, but the stories these men can tell is extraordinary. Two of the docents were shot down in air by enemy planes. One of these men was the only one in his plane to survive, and that was after it exploded. This man was taken in by the enemy, and had to wait out in captivity until the Germans surrendered. He said is forearm became as thin as his wrist because of the lack of food. He was shot down on only his seventh mission. My group's docent was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked.
These few, seemingly normal men, all had their war stories some similar, and some very different than his.
This field trip may have been more interesting to me in stage of my life than earlier; not just because I am older, but because I was just reading about the wars of the United States before going. Before this year, this may have just seemed like another insignificant field trip. Perhaps I just need to be looking for significance, and I will find it in everything I see. Perhaps all those insignificant people I pass on the street have their extraordinary stories as well. Perhaps life itself is very significant, and I have just taken it for granted. Perhaps now that I can look to that seemingly insignificant harbor and see significant lives that were lost. Today is a reminder to look to the significant Pearl Harbor.

All this reminds me of the cross. A seemingly insignificant man, lead away to an insignificant hill, about to die a death insignificant to that time in Roman history. Yet, what this seemingly insignificant man accomplished on the cross is very significant. I have the privilege everyday to look to the cross and see significant life, and significant life bringing. Fact, it was the only thing in the history of the earth that brought life. And life is very significant.

2 comments:

Emily said...

good post. :)
funny, I was thinking about this today too - we had to read a soliloquy by Macbeth, about the meaningless of life, and respond to it in a "Christian" way and reference Scripture that indicate that life ISN'T really insignificant at all.
it's so easy to take it for granted - but what a tragedy it is that there are those who take it for granted because they don't know any better, having been taught their whole lives that people are just accidental, highly evolved animals!!

Colin said...

Great point on the seeming insignificance but true significance of Christ. Preach it!