Live Rounds or Blanks?

Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Towards the end of the Second World War, the Allies were bombing Berlin. Heavy and relatively cumbersome bombers would be accompanied by smaller more agile fighter planes to protect them from enemy fire so that they could unleash their heavy artillery. After what had been a devastating and ultimately successful bombing campaign, a number of fighter planes were flying on their way home, separated from the bomber. Suddenly a German plane appeared out of nowhere and attacked the bomber. Tracer bullets flew all around them, and then five pierced the plane, including the fuel tank. The pilot waited for an explosion and his imminent death, but neither came. He duly made it back to safety across the Channel. A few hours later, a mechanic knocked on the pilot’s door and presented five crumpled but unexploded bullets to him – and to his amazement he discovered that all the bullets were empty of gunpowder, and in one was a folded note: ‘We are Polish POWs. We are forced to make bullets in factory. When guards do not look we do not fill with powder. Is not much but is best we can do. Please tell family we are alive’. The scribbled note was signed by four Polish prisoners-of-war. Out of millions of bullets, those few made the difference and saved the lives of the pilot and his crew.

We’re constantly firing off rounds at people, in terms of what we say, how we act, our general attitudes. And they can either be live rounds or blanks in terms of bringing life or death. So will we use our words today to tear down or build up? Will we do acts of service or disservice? Will our attitudes and interactions with others draw them towards or away from Jesus?

Lord, I choose to think, act and speak words of life today. Amen!