Landing an airplane is not hard. At least, it’s not hard like playing classical guitar or custom building cabinetry. It is more like a dance. Like dancing, there are two involved: you and airplane. Like dancing, there is give and take involved. Like a dance partner, the airplane wants to go where you lead. But, you need to know how to get it there.
The pinnacle of this dance is touchdown. By coordinating pitch (nose up or down) and power, the pilot works to smoothly land. As the ground gets closer, the power is pulled off and the pilot holds the nose off the ground. If he’s timed it properly, the result is a smooth landing.
I mention this because recently an acquaintance was sharing his first experience landing a C-17 (in the Simulator). Himself a high-time pilot, he was shocked when the instructor said, “Add power just before touchdown.” From his first days in light planes to his fini flight in a Phantom, he’d never heard this advice. Incredulous he challenged the instructor, “You mean pull all remaining power off?”
“No,” came the perturbed response, “I mean add a little power.”
So they commenced practicing an instrument approach into Tinker AFB. Despite believing this instructor was wrong, my friend followed his direction. After all, crashing a simulator isn’t that big of a deal. Much to his surprise, however, the instructor was absolutely right. Adding that last bit of power made for a smooth landing. “Would you ever has guessed?” he asked me with a disbelieving look upon his face.
Truthfully, I wouldn’t have guessed. Adding power before touchdown is usually a sign we’ve made a mistake somewhere on the approach. Usually the pilot allowed his descent rate get too high and the power is an attempt to save a bad landing. But, on further reflection, it doesn’t surprise me. Instead, this illustrates one of the key principles in following Christ: faith.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” Matthew 3:13-17 (ESV).
When Jesus arrived before John, John refused to baptize Him. John’s was a baptism of repentance. Jesus had no sin from which He needed to repent. Therefore Jesus did not need to be baptized. But Jesus insisted. As Jesus insists, John has a choice. He could trust himself, conclude Jesus does not need his baptism, and tell him to go home. Or, John can trust Jesus’ word and baptize him. Just like my friend could trust himself or he could trust the instructor.
The lesson from John is simple: real faith trusts Jesus more than self. So when there is conflict between what I want to do and what Jesus says to do, faith chooses Jesus. More often than not, having followed Jesus instead of self, I discover that Jesus was right all the time.
Brandon Markette 