Life on a small, bridgeless island is not without challenges. We do have some stores, and some services, but what we have available to us here is extremely limited, particularly when compared to the mainland. When there is prior notice that we will need something that we don’t have available to us on the island, we make arrangements to secure whatever it is that we think is necessary, so that we can continue without a hitch. Unfortunately, we don’t always have prior notice, and some things just aren’t practical to keep around for just one potential moment.
Serving at the fire department provides an excellent example of that. Our department is too small to secure everything that we could possibly need for every foreseeable situation, but unlike departments on the mainland, we can’t just call for help from another department and have them drive up to the site of our emergency. To compensate for that, our chief places tremendous emphasis on knowing every piece of equipment on the trucks, what they were designed for, and how they work. The reason for this is that, with that understanding of how the equipment actually works, we can sometimes figure out alternative solutions to problems that could have otherwise been solved with a tool or appliance that had been specifically designed for that problem. Our solution might not be as elegant or efficient, but the ultimate objective in emergency response is effectiveness.
This sort of creative problem solving comes from having as much information as possible about the resources that are available to you. It isn’t enough to study them, you have to train with them, putting them into practice to test their limits in multiple different scenarios. Those experiences become the foundation for problem solving, and the more personal experience you have, the greater your ability will be to think outside of the box to find a solution that will succeed.
I have found that the same approach applies to the Bible. It is not unusual for someone to ask me if there is something in Scripture that applies directly to a situation that they are dealing with. Sometimes the answer to that question is yes, and it is easy to flip to that particular verse or teaching to explore what the Bible has to say. However, sometimes the Bible doesn’t speak directly to the specifics of a situation, but the situation that the person is asking about fits within a type or category of issue that is addressed elsewhere. By finding those similar types of situations, those solutions can be assessed to determine if they would be effective when applied to this unique situation. Yet to realize the flexibility within the Bible for practical application, it helps to have extensive knowledge and experience, not simply studying the words within the Bible, but applying them to your daily life.
Of course, the most tragic thing is to find yourself in an emergency situation and find out later that you had the tools that you needed to have avoided the problem at your disposal all along – had you only known what was in your toolbox. The Bible is the most valuable tool for life that you will ever encounter. Would you please spend some time with it, seeing how it can apply to your life?
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron