Carry On Luggage

Unless you live under a rock, you've heard about the jet that crash landed in the Hudson River last week. That jet was on its way to Charlotte so several of the passengers were from the Charlotte area. This past Sunday at church our pastor interviewed two of the survivors.

Of course, they both talked about how they feel like they had been given a second chance at life. Apparently, a plane of that size with that many passengers has never, ever made a successful water landing where everyone survived. One of the guys was sitting in an exit row and said after the pilot came on and said "Brace for landing" he literally had his head down, hands over his head, but was READING THE INSTRUCTIONS on how to get the emergency door open because he knew it would be his job to do that when they landed. How's that for calm, cool and collected?! As soon as they hit the water, he opened the door, held it for a minute because he wasn't sure what to do with it and then threw it into the river. These doors aren't on hinges - good to know.

The other guy was one of the last ones out of the plane. He was helping others and making sure they all got out ok. There was an 83 yr old person, a 4 yr old and a mom with a 9 month old baby among others. Here's the thing that stuck out the most to me when he was telling his story - everyone had gotten off in a pretty orderly fashion. But there was one woman on the plane who grabbed her purse and her carry on from the overhead bin!!!!! Are you kidding me? He said she was rolling it down the aisle as the plane was filling up with water. People were telling her to leave it, but she insisted on taking it. When she got to the wing, the suitcase fell into the water but the man (speaking at our church) did grab her purse and throw it into the life raft.

Now I realize this wasn't me. And I realize that something this traumatic would make people behave in some bizarre ways. But I would hope that I wouldn't be so attached to "my stuff" that I couldn't just let it go. I mean, did she have her grandmother's ashes in her carry on? Her wedding gown? A kidney, liver or other body part? A fur coat? A miniature life raft? Seriously, what could have been that important? I suppose we will never know.

But as I was judging the heck out of this person I've never met, God reminded me that sometimes I want to hold on to "my stuff" too. Instead of letting go and letting Him be in charge and take care of the details of my life, I make these desperate attempts to hold onto the things I am sure of, the things that I am familiar with, the things that make me feel secure. Instead of leaving those behind and walking in faith into unknown territory and holding on to the One who holds me in His hand.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1