5. THE SHORT-LIVED FOOLISH JESTER
“Neither filthiness, nor
foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” (Ephesians
5:4)
(These next 4 stories go back in time to before I went to
Japan.)
During the Summer of 1968, I underwent
the 6 weeks of Officer Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico,
Virginia, training to become a U. S. Marine Corps officer. A fellow trainee in
my platoon was a big jester, so I will call him by the name
“Jester”. He was given to much foolish talking, jesting,
playing pranks and such. My first time
to meet him is in this training platoon, together for 6 weeks.
The next time I meet him is in mid 1971, in a training squadron
for Marine jet pilots at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
Now, he and I are each Marine officers, first lieutenants, and training
together as jet attack pilots. The Jester hasn’t matured much at all, still
full of foolishness and jesting. But, piloting a Marine Corps jet
attack airplane is deadly serious business. Tragically,
the Jester didn’t take that task seriously enough. A foolish flying stunt
of his caused him his life.
After we trained together a few months at Cherry Point, we each
were ordered to go separate ways, never to meet again in this
life. The Jester was soon after assigned to pilot the Marine’s new Harrier jet,
a fast jet that must be handled most delicately, because it can take off
and land vertically, and fly horizontally. When flying horizontally
and approaching a landing pad to land vertically, the pilot must slow to
a designated speed before rotating the jet exhaust nozzle
downward to transition to vertical flight. That is a most delicate
transition. The pilot must strictly adhere to the proper,
set procedures for doing so. One fatal day, the Jester did not fly
according to the rules of flight.
In horizontal flight low to the ground, the Jester foolishly
approached the landing pad at far too fast a speed to safely transition
to vertical flight. When he rotated the jet exhaust nozzle with the plane
flying too fast, the plane rolled sideways at low level. The Jester made the
split-second decision to eject from the plane. (The pilot, always wearing a
parachute, sits in an ejection seat.) That rocket seat fired “sideways”
(because the plane was rolled “sideways”) into some trees around the landing
pad, crushing the Jester to death as the seat rammed into the trees and limbs. The
Jester should have followed the safe rules of flight.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast
in the faith.” (1st Peter 5:8
& 9a)
My Young Friend, the devil wants to kill you as quickly
as he can. He would have you to make a joke out of your life on earth, continuously
jesting and carrying on foolishness as the Jester did in this True Story. Right
now, you purpose in your heart, that by God’s Great Grace, you will do exactly
as your Creator God commands you in the 2 above Scriptures.
“Almighty Lord God my Creator, please save me from all filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, which are not
convenient. Please guide me to always
give thanks unto Thee. Please cause me to always be sober, be vigilant; walking
in the Spirit. Save me from my adversary the
devil devouring me. Please teach me how to resist
Satan in my spirit and steadfast in the
faith. Amen”
“I am fearfully and wonderfully
made.” (Psalms 139:14) “Almighty Lord God, My Creator and my soon-coming Judge, right
now please send Thy Holy Spirit powerfully upon me to perfect
my knowledge and understanding of the above
Everlasting Holy Scripture. Reveal to me the significant importance of this
Spiritual Truth regarding my short life on earth.
Inside my degenerate existence (being) is the potential
to commit the worst of sins (murder, torture, oppression, immorality,
blasphemy, perversion, and such). Truly, that is most fearful,
knowing the Just Judgment and Punishment I would receive for those most awful
sins against Thee, My Creator.
On the other hand, if I yield my life totally to
Thee and follow Thee fully, truly Thou wilt make
something most wonderful of my life on earth, making me into a great
help to suffering mankind and thus greatly glorifying
Thee by doing so. That will bring me great Eternal Reward, making
me most happy and blessed forever!
Lord Jesus, I earnestly desire and sincerely covet
to be the most wonderful human creation of Thine presently on this earth. Please
grant me that heart’s desire of mine.
Please powerfully pour out Holy Ghost Power upon
all the precious lost Japanese souls to whom Missionary Richard preaches, out
in public places. Please stir up this very same desire in their hearts also,
and save them to the utmost, I plead. Amen.”
“Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a
destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” (Joel 1:15) “Lord Jesus, make
me fearfully aware that the day of the Lord is close at hand and that it is to
be a day of horrible destruction. Please help me to be fully prepared for that
day. Amen.”