Wise in Heart”—Yet Humble!

[Bible Speaks]

Wise in Heart”—Yet Humble!

Jehovah’s humility is manifest in yet another beautiful quality—reasonableness. 
This quality is sadly lacking among imperfect humans. Not only is Jehovah willing to listen to his intelligent creatures but he is also willing to yield when there is no conflict with righteous principles. 
As used in the Bible, the word “reasonable” literally means “yielding.” This quality too is a hallmark of divine wisdom. In what sense is the all-wise Jehovah reasonable? For one thing, he is adaptable.

Remember, his very name teaches us that Jehovah causes himself to become whatever is needed in order to fulfill his purposes. (Exodus 3:14) Does that not indicate a spirit of adaptability and reasonableness?

Humans can only try to imitate such perfect adaptability. All too often, though, humans and their organizations are more rigid than adaptable, more unreasonable than yielding.

To illustrate: A supertanker or a freight train might be awesome in terms of size and power. But can either one respond to sudden changes in circumstance? If an obstacle falls across the tracks in front of a freight train, turning is out of the question. Sudden stops are not much easier. A heavy freight train may take over a mile to stop after the brakes are applied! 

Similarly, a supertanker may coast onward for five miles [8 km] after the engines are shut off. Even if the engines are thrown into reverse, the tanker may still plow on for two miles [3 km]! It is similar with human organizations that are prone to rigidity and unreasonableness. 
Because of pride, men often refuse to adapt to changing needs and circumstances. Such rigidity has bankrupted corporations and even toppled governments.

(Proverbs 16:18) "Pride is before a crash, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.'

[John Lindsay Barltrop]

"Similarly, a supertanker may coast onward for five miles [8 km] after the engines are shut off. Even if the engines are thrown into reverse, the tanker may still plow on for two miles [3 km]! It is similar with human organizations that are prone to rigidity and unreasonableness."

How true that is...........I was aboard the Royal Australian Navy's aircraft carrier HMAS "Melbourne" on February 10th 1964 off the coast of Jervis Bay (about 85 Nautical miles South of Sydney, NSW)..........it was nearly 2100 and the "Melbourne" collided with the destroyer HMAS "Voyager" ...........it actually cut the destroyer in half, just behind the bridge..........82 sailors lost their lives. I spent most of the night out in one of the rescue boats (one of Melbourne's motor boats)

When the collision was imminent, FULL ASTERN was ordered..........although the engines were going full astern the ship still had an ahead speed of about 20 knots when the collision occurred..........certainly a night......and years I do not wish to remember.

In 1968 the "Melbourne" was involved in another collision in the South China Sea with an American destroyer USS "Frank E Evans" (also cut in half).....this cost the lives of 74 American sailors............even though I was on leave at the time, when I heard that news the bad memories came flooding back...........I refused to go back to sea, I was later diagnosed with PTSD, and I am still on happy pills. I have never spent another night at sea.

But, to erase all these memories I will just have to wait until Jehovah brings in the promised paradise to be free from this memory, although Jehovah will resurrect all those who have lost their lives at sea.........and this is a comforting thought.