Chaplains on the River

It often happens when I am visitng on boats…sometimes on the deck…or in the wheelhouse…and very often in the galley.  I will hear some tidbit of real meaningful truth uttered by a river mariner that stays with me for days and sparks my thinking and imagination.  Last week, a boat captain in Channelview was sharing over coffee in the galley about his philosophy on crew morale.  He leaned across the table…and earnestly said…that he always tried to make the boat on his watch a good, positive, clean atmosphere.  I was reminded of the lesson we had drilled into us in officer training in the USAF:  The attitude of the commander will be the attitude of the unit under his/her command.  My experience in  visiting with the boat crew of this particular captain showed me that the adage still holds true, and that this master was being successful in creating a good morale on his boat.

I am reminded of an informal experiment I tried years ago while an undergraduate student at the University of Southwestern Louisiana.  Back then…way back then, in the mid 1970s…there were no cell phones or other personal electronic devices to occupy your time as you trooped quickly from class to class.  There was a path that I…and several hundred others…would walk each day moving from one classroom building to another.  At the beginning of the semester, everyone hurried along, not making any eye contact.  I started making eye contact with people at every opportunity.  After a week, I started smiling at those people.  They were reticent at first, then would begin to acknowledge me, and even to smile back.  Then came the big step…to say “hello”!  After the initial resistance, and after about another week, I had actually managed to coax a few people to exchange small talk during the class change routine.  The actions of one can affect the behavior of others for the good!   Of course, the same can be true for affecting behavior for the worse.

So my question for your consideration is this:  are you contagious?  How is your life…your words, your actions, your attitude…affecting those you work with and your family and friends when you are at home?  Are you seen as a change agent for good or bad?  What kind of effect do you want to be?

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ taught about how we influence others:  “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (14:16, New International Version).  Likewise, The Apostle Paul elaborates on the character traits that help us make a positive mark on those around us:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).

The bottom line here is that we are all contagious, either for the good or for the bad.  Are you making your own life…and the life of your family and friends…and the life of your fellow crew heavenly or hellish?  Is your mind full of good stuff, or is it a trash can with a hairy lid?  You make the difference!  Be blessed and be a blessing!  See you on the river…

Chaplain Mike