Pride

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

April 14, 1912. Indestructible perfection was their security. Indescribable beauty was their reality. Whether to work or play, all 2228 passengers aboard the R.M.S. Titanic lived in absolute trust of their ship's ferry that day.

With grandeur and grace, she glided the ocean's waves. With only glory to gain and nothing to lose, the call came for perfection to press into more power. Nothing was foreseen to impede. Whatever might come into sight, the ship would simply navigate any obstacles and prevail with greater glory into history. History, as we know today, had a wheelhouse of it's own. Dreams are mapped out; it's the nightmares that surface from the darkest of deep.

It was the unseen that pierced perfection. It was pride that pronounced perish. The iceberg that brushed against the Titanic at 11:40pm on April 14,1912 was simply existing. Man and nature crossed paths as they always have and will. However, on this day, power turned from ally to enemy. By the time they saw the potential disaster, the ship's current speed made it impossible to fully navigate around the problem. “Unsinkable” collided with “unthinkable.” In the silent depths, the presumption of perfection met the reality of a ripped shell. Ripped lives. 

 

After 2 1/2 hours, the Titanic reached its final resting place on the ocean floor. Salvation's lifeboats were launched, but few were saved (710 of the 2228). She was designed to carry 32 lifeboats, but actually carried 20 lifeboats because it was felt that the extra 12 would make the deck too cluttered (on the largest ship on the planet), or in Management's words, “ would detract from the aesthetics.” Of those used, the lifeboats were only ½ filled (reasons ranged from families to fear). Of those boats, only one returned to the floating graveyard to search for survivors. Personnel were never properly trained for an emergency because they never imagined they would encounter one. Perfection precluded preparation. Every moment that death ensued, salvation drifted by only yards away. Though not all, so many more could have been saved. 

Each body that breathes air is a ship that ferries a soul. Disaster of death is certain. Though given first class accommodations in the beautiful image of Elohim, we are not indestructible, we are not perfect, we are not capable of saving ourselves. Yet, we are not without choice. We are offered a seat on the S.S. Grace (Savior's Salvation). Just as some proclaimed from the sinking ship's stern, some may declare today, “that seat of salvation is for someone else, not for me.” In reality, every soul has a seat waiting in salvation. Every person's eternity rest with every person's choice to receive or reject the grace given; having absolutely nothing to do with anyone else. Pride in some may declare that “I am just fine without salvation, disaster will not meet me” or if it does “I'll deal with that when I get there.” Yet, the ultimate reality is that all human attempts will never be enough to save a sinking ship; the only hope is external salvation. The Lifeboat must be accessible and occupied to be any good. 

 

Was pride worth the disaster of hundreds of lives lost? Is it worth the risk of losing your life over aesthetics, philosophy, or pride? Ladies and Gentlemen, this is an actual emergency and your very life is on the line. Your death is in pride. Your life is inside. You decide.

Enjoy Him, Michelle
mlpack777@gmail.com