Every airline gave us the same pre-flight instructions about the little yellow oxygen masks:If the airplane cabin depressurizes at high altitude, the oxygen masks will automatically drop down.What do you do first?
"Put your own oxygen mask on before helping your children or those around you."
This has always sounded counter-intuitive to me, because as a dad, I would naturally worry about my daughter or wife first. Other people with kind hearts would think to help the stranger next to them before helping themselves.
"Put your own oxygen mask on before helping your children or those around you."
There's a reason for this. Oxygen deprivation to your brain - hypoxia - leads to confusion. It happens so fast that you can quickly lose your ability to think clearly, to use your fine motor skills. You might actually cause more harm than good as you fumble to adjust someone else's oxygen mask in your depleted state.
I gave this more thought than usual when we flew with our grandson this summer.
If the cabin lost pressure and I floundered trying to help the grandson, I'd be relying on other passengers to make sure he got his oxygen. I trusted my wife and my daughter as immediate backup in our row, but there were some pretty sketchy characters occupying the seats in front of, and behind us. I didn't want to rely on them helping my grandson if we lost pressure. My plan of action was simple. Be prepared (alert to danger), be in a position to help (stay oxygenated), make sure he's safe (eyes on the kid). See who else we can help.
Consider our current society and culture - the cabin has rapidly depressurized and spiritual levels are plummeting. There's a readily accessible source of eternal life support within reach of every person - all are able to breath in the truth of the Gospel.
But a spiritual hypoxia has already settled over us. It's like watching the slow motion scene of an airplane disaster movie unfold. All through the plane, people are hesitating in the seconds that matter. There are parents with children next to them who are not reaching for the truth themselves and they aren't turning to help their kids, either. "They'll figure it out for themselves, I don't want to force them."
As chaos escalates in the cabin, kids - young adults - adults - grow more worried and disoriented. They sense disorder and look expectantly for someone with perspective and direction. Passengers from the next row step right over the hesitant parents to provide calming reassurance. "Don't worry, you're going to be fine. You don't need that oxygen mask, that's just for the weak minded people. You'll be stronger and more independent without it."
Over in the next row, a like-minded group has convinced several passengers who'd already donned a the yellow mask and are breathing easily...to take it off. "You don't want to appear as though you're judging the other passengers, do you?"
In the context of all human history, it seems like this entire, disturbing scene has taken place in a manner of seconds. But it's been many decades in the making. And the hypoxic confusion of our generation is, quite literally, breathtaking.
Each person yearns to find answers to questions they have about God. About spiritual love, about eternal souls. We need to be better informed and ready with confident answers. If we aren't effectively helping this generation draw near the Gospel, nor resolving our own confused theology - then it will be people from other rows of spirituality or philosophy that influence and direct those who remain.
Job 33:4"The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life."
What do you believe?
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