Day 12: Foreign Object Damage

Galatians 5:7–9: (NIV) “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ‘A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.’”

One of the dangers aircraft face aboard carriers is what sailors call “foreign object damage” (FOD). Foreign objects can be inadvertently sucked into an air-craft’s internal mechanisms and can destroy an engine. Even a small foreign object can disable a powerful engine capable of propelling aircraft at supersonic speeds. To prevent FOD, the ship conducts a flight deck walk-down several times a day to make sure all foreign objects are cleared. These FOD walk-downs also are conducted in the hangar bay where aircraft are stored. FOD can apply in ways other than the mechanical sense. Foreign objects—or misspoken words—can damage our mission as well. A small, ill-timed word can compromise the operational security of an entire battle group. Caustic comments can destroy friendships or frustrate constructive communications on board any naval vessel.

Perhaps the Apostle Paul could have used a FOD walk-down in the church at Galatia. Small things were disrupting the vital internal mechanisms of good order and discipline. His admonition—“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough”—is yet another example of how small things can cause great damage. My daily prayer is that just as we conduct FOD walk-downs in the hangar bay and on the flight deck, God will perform FOD walk-downs in us according to this familiar congregational song sang in the church of my youth. Such songs had no author but requests flowed out of the congregation’s desire to be right before God:

Search me, search me, search me Lord,
Turn the light from heaven on our soul;
If you find anything that shouldn’t be, take it out and strengthen me.
I want to be right, I want to be saved, I want to be whole!”

Questions to Consider:

• When was the last time I performed a FOD walk-down on myself?
• Are they hard to conduct? Why?

Reflection for the Day:

• Consider the many ways you hope to experience the grace of God throughout the day.