The Rescue Station

This is a story from a book that I have been re-reading called, Thinking Missional becoming the people God intended.

Once upon a time, there was a rescue station on a far away shore, intended to save lives from ships that had been broken up on its rocky shoreline.
Those who served in the station had time on their hands between emergencies, so they built a recreation room with pool tables, bowling lanes, a hot tub, and a sound system with couches and recliners. As a matter of fact, their quarters became so enjoyable, that soon those they had needed to save became a nuisance, upsetting their society.

Over time they had virtually given up their initial purpose and had become a club for recreation. However many were incensed at the departure from their roots and purpose. They split off and moved down the coast to begin a new rescue station committed to the original charter. Soon however, the new station also sought diversions and became distracted from its purpose, and it too split.

Its original charter however, was kept mounted on a table with a model of a ship beside it illuminated by soft lighting to remind all of its historic, noble beginnings. Still the new work had the same struggles, the same temptations, the same distractions, and the same splits. Gradually, a host of buildings rimmed the coast as a testament to a once gallant effort. Each station had its old documents and relics mounted in soft lighting to remind them of what they once were. And the clubs continued as did the shipwrecks...and men perished.

Lord, may my focus be outward not inward, viewing people and the world through your eyes, not my own.