Our Choices

[Mimi58]

When my brother died in the plane crash in Vietnam, I was extremely angry at God. I demanded answers. "Why did you let this happen?" "Why didn't you protect him?" and so on ad infinitum

An answer came. It was like a thought appeared in my mind - a still small voice.

"There is a lot of evil in this world. But there is a lot of good, too. Are you going to add to the good or to the evil?"

My reaction was, "What kind of an answer is this?"

Over time I understood. There wasn't anything I could do to change what happened, but there were things I could do to affect the present. I wish I could say I always contributed to the good, but I can't.

My anger subsided after a few days, but not the heartache or desire to know more. We learned the planes engine on one wing wasn't working. A crew was repairing part of the landing strip and the plane had been flagged to go around and make another try. The plane was not able to rise high enough and a wing clipped an avertment. Over time we met an airman who was on the ground at Danang when the crash happened and had helped many others try to rescue who they could. He gave us more information. We also learned that the C121 handled differently in some situations than other planes of its type. At that time, pilots would let co-polots "practice" landings when also transporting mechanics and other workers from one base to another. The co-pilot was landing the plane and the pilot was not able to take over quickly enough. We also learned that the higher ups realized this was bad policy and that practice ended whenever the plane was also transporting people besides the normal crew.

So, now I wonder, "How did the devil influece the highups to initiate this policy? Did he convince them it would save money? Provide more practice time? Be cost efficient?

I also wonder, "How many people did God try to influence to speak up agains that policy? How many ignored God's "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-13) because they were afraid of censure or something else. How many people actually spoke up against the practice but were ignored? Perhaps the engine that went out could have been repaired before the flight, but a mechanic on that ground crew ignored God's voice? Still many questions that won't be answered. However, there is still a question for all of us.

"There is a lot of evil in this world.

But there is a lot of good, too.

Are you going to add to the good or to the evil?"