Heed the Warnings!

Avoid the icebergs that can sink you.
 
“Act like people with good sense and not like fools.”
Ephesians 5:15 CEV
 
“A fool is someone who ignores the warning signs.”
Sandra Brown

Today, I am pondering wisdom. It is said that wisdom is avoiding life’s pitfalls and reaping God’s blessings. I like that definition. I resonate with it. Conversely, foolishness is failing to heed warnings about pitfalls and thus experiencing the trouble that comes with such wrong-headed decision-making.
 
All of us encounter warning signs every day of our lives. There are warning labels on the products we buy, like chainsaws, motorcycles, and even lotion. The funniest warning label I have encountered was one attached to a Superman costume that warned the wearer it would not empower them to fly! Then there are warning signs for drivers about speed limits, pedestrian crosswalks, school zones, and upcoming curves in the road. There are also a plethora of warning notices in our lives about the depth of water in a swimming pool, where and when you can park a car, and the dangers of feeding wild animals in a park. Despite all these cautions, people still ignore warnings. Consequently, they suffer injuries, receive police tickets, and unintentionally damage property.
 
Disregarding warnings can have deadly consequences. For example, I am fascinated by the story of the Titanic, including its construction, crew, passengers, and tragic sinking. It has a story like no other. Recently, I read about its failure to heed warnings.
 
In the days and hours before the Titanic struck an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912, the ship received a steady stream of ice warnings from other vessels crossing the North Atlantic. These messages, sent by Marconi wireless operators, reported large fields of pack ice, growlers, and icebergs directly along Titanic’s projected route. Ships such as the Caronia, Baltic, Amerika, and Mesaba all transmitted alerts describing dangerous ice conditions ahead. The Mesaba warning, in particular, outlined a broad ice field with numerous large bergs—information that was never fully conveyed to the bridge.
As the day progressed, the number and urgency of warnings increased. Late that evening, the nearby Californian reported that it had stopped for the night because it was surrounded by ice. This final warning, sent shortly before the collision, was reportedly brushed aside by the Titanic’s wireless operator, who was overwhelmed with passenger traffic and unaware of its significance.

In response to these warnings, Captain Edward J. Smith took limited precautionary action. He ordered a slight alteration of course farther south than usual and instructed officers to maintain a vigilant lookout as night fell. However, the Titanic continued at near top speed, as Smith trusted that clear weather, calm seas, and the ship’s modern design would allow ice to be spotted in time. The tragedy revealed not a lack of warnings but a failure to fully heed and act upon them.[1]

As disciples of Jesus, we are blessed with both wisdom and warnings in the Bible, counsel that helps us avoid life’s pitfalls and reap God’s blessings. For example, these warnings caution us about living life without God, the consequences of sin, the destructiveness of pride and selfishness, and the damage words can cause. God has also blessed us with the indwelling Holy Spirit, who guards and guides us into truth and righteous living. He warns us in our spirit about the precarious matters of life we experience daily. The Apostle Paul, for example, writes to the church in Corinth, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). He was warning the church about the potential of pride to destroy them. Conversely, Paul writes that if the church humbles itself before God, he will lift it up (1 Peter 5:6). God’s counsel and warnings, whether from the Bible, his Spirit or other believers, exist not to handicap us but to guide us into a life of blessing and ultimately Christlikeness.
 
We all know believers who ignored God’s warnings, whether from the Bible, the guidance of His Holy Spirit or the counsel of mature fellow Christians. These believers did not heed God’s warnings and thus experienced heartbreak, broken relationships, and what seemed like an endless stream of trouble. They were given warnings that danger lay ahead, but chose to sail full speed ahead, only to hit an iceberg and sink. I pray that we will heed the warnings, avoid life’s icebergs, and experience the blessings of God. This is simply being wise.
 
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
Hebrews 4:7
 

Philip A. Guntherr

[1] Chatgpt.com assisted with summarizing this particular story of the Titanic.