Avoiding Titanic Catastrophe’s

I’ve been thinking a lot about step 10.. maybe it’s because I struggle with both being overly content, and seemingly high levels of discontentment all at the same time!

10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

“We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭8‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Be careful lest you fall..

Be careful when you think you are above temptation.. lest you fall.

BE careful when you think “I’d never do that…” lest you fall

Be careful when you think you’re above your fallen brother… lest you fall.

What makes us be like the “fallen man” the Bible warns us of?

Maybe it’s Pride? Arrogance? Presumption?

Arrogance, pride, and maybe presumption all fed into one of the greatest examples in human history of failure due to arrogance and pride was the story of the Titanic.

Titanic

Some said “Not even God could sink her..” man if that’s not arrogance I don’t know what is..

The early 20th Century was a time of amazing advancements and optimism. Within the span of just a few years, exciting technological breakthroughs included electric lights, automobiles, airplanes, telephones, radio broadcasts, etc. The field of shipbuilding had grown much too. New ships were bigger, faster, and fancier than ever before. Plus, new designs like double hulls and automatically locking doors made ship travel seem safer than ever before. Speaking in an interview in 1907, a British captain, Edward Smith, proudly declared he could not “imagine any condition which would cause a ship to flounder. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.”

In fact, just five years after that interview, Smith had been appointed captain of a brand-new ship belonging to Britain’s prestigious White Star Line. The new ship boasted a comfort and opulence usually reserved for luxury hotels, such as live bands, oriental carpets, and crystal chandeliers. Confidence in the safety of the ship was so high, the owners and builders cancelled plans for 64 lifeboats. The owners settled for the placement of 20 lifeboats on the ship. That number was higher than regulations called for at the time, but was only enough to accommodate about half of the 2,228 passengers.

As the vessel sailed across the North Atlantic from Britain to the US in April 1912, officers received numerous warnings from other ships in the area of numerous icebergs. Ignoring the warnings and filled with pride, one officer reportedly told Captain Smith, “We will beat the Olympic and get in to New York on Tuesday.” Instead of being more careful, the speed was maintained and no additional lookouts were posted. Striking an iceberg, the vessel quickly took on water and within a couple of hours the “unsinkable ship” did the unthinkable…it sank. Over 1,500 perished in the icy North Atlantic. The ship’s name? The RMS Titanic.

James 4:6-7 (NKJV):

Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

How many times in my life has pride led me to letting my guard down.. and slamming into icebergs. Everyone knew they were there.. it was no secret.. For Titanic it was April on the Atlantic Ocean.. icebergs were there before.. not only that they also had fellow ships warn them of specific sightings. Yet they took no steps, they didn’t slow down, they didn’t post more look outs!

As I think about my own life, How many icebergs are ahead of me, that if I let pride, recklessness, ego, or maybe even a little presumption could have the potential to cause a catastrophic event in my life?

Take what you like, and Leave the rest. My names Dean grateful believer in Jesus Christ, striving for moral and sexual purity.