By Pastor Greg
Thursday, January 15, 2009, flight 1549, a regular US Airways trip from La Guardia Airport, took off at 3:26 local time, bound for Charleston, North Carolina. The captain, Chelsey Sullenberger III, known as "Sully," did all the usual checks. Everything was fine in the aircraft. Fine until, two minutes after takeoff, the aircraft ran straight into a flock of Canadian Geese. One goose in a jet engine would be serious; a flock was disastrous. Almost at once both the engines were severely damaged and lost their power. The plane was, at that point, heading north over the Bronx, one of the most densely populated parts of the city.
Captain Sullenberger and his copilot had to make several major decisions instantly if they were going to save the lives of people not only on board but also on the ground. They could see one or two small local airports in the distance, but quickly realized that they couldn't be sure of making it that far. If they attempted it, they well might crash land in a built-up area on the way. Likewise, the option of putting the plane down on the New Jersey Turnpike, a busy road leading in and out of the city, would present huge problems and dangers for the plane and its occupants, let alone for cars and their drivers on the road. That left one option: the Hudson River. It's difficult to crash-land on water: one small mistake-catch the nose or one of the wings in the river, say-and the plane will turn over and over like a gymnast before breaking up and sinking.
In the two or three minutes they had before landing, Sullenberger and his copilot had to do the following vital things (along with plenty of other tasks that we amateurs wouldn't understand).
1. They had to shut down the engines.
2. They had to set the right speed so that the plane could glide as long as possible without power. (Fortunately, Sullenberger is also a gliding instructor.)
3. They had to get the nose down to maintain speed.
4. They had to disconnect the autopilot and override the flight management system.
5. They had to activate the "ditch" system, which seals vents and valves, to make the plane as waterproof as possible once it hit the water.
6. Most important of all, they had to fly and glide the plane in a fast left-hand turn so that it could come down facing south, going with the flow of the river.
7. And-having already turned off the engines-they had to do this using only the battery-operated systems and the emergency generator.
8. Then they had to straighten the plane up from the tilt of the sharp-left turn so that, on landing, the plane would be exactly level from side to side.
9. Finally, they had to get the nose back up again, but not too far up, and land straight and flat on the water.
And they did it! Everyone got off safely, with Captain Sullenberger himself walking up and down the aisle a couple of times to check that everyone had escaped before leaving himself. Once in the life raft along with the other passengers, he went one better: he took off his shirt, in the freezing January afternoon, and gave it to a passenger who was suffering in the cold.
Many people described the dramatic events as a "miracle." But the really fascinating thing about the whole business is the way it illustrates a vital truth--a truth which many today have either forgotten or never knew in the first place. Sullenberger had not, of course, been born with the ability to fly a plane, let alone the specific skills he exhibited in those vital three minutes. None of the skills required, and certainly none of the courage, restraint, cool judgment, and concern for others which he displayed, is part of the kit we humans possess from birth. (Source: N.T. Wright, "After You Believe", p. 18ff.)
The same can be said about the Fruit of the Spirit (which, by the way is singular). It is not something found within a person, nor is it something that can be manufactured by a person. Even a Christian cannot manufacture this fruit. This “Fruit” is something that is planted within the heart of a believer, grows and develops, and then bears fruit (something that is seen).
In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul is contrasting Deeds (verse 19) with Fruit (verse 22). The point is that you and I cannot manufacture within ourselves this nine-fold fruit. Only the Holy Spirit can plant this within us. Only the Holy Spirit can give birth to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Consider the fruit of love. This love, as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13, is a love beyond our natural abilities. Not one of us could possibly love in this way. But that’s the whole point. Paul describes a contrast between what we do and who we are. And who we are makes all the difference in the world. Building Christian character must take precedence over displaying special abilities. The gifts of the Spirit focus on service, whereas fruit (in this case love) focuses on character.
If this Christian character is beyond our ability to manufacture within ourselves; if love, as Paul described here, is impossible to achieve, then how do we learn to love like this? That’s the whole point. This kind of love is not learned. This kind of love is not manufactured. It must become a seed planted within us from the one who does love like this; the One who can create within us this kind of supernatural love.
A few weeks ago I spoke about forgiveness, which for some of us is something difficult to achieve. Some of us find it difficult to be patient and kind. Some of us cannot muster this kind of love. Part of our problem is that we are trying to manufacture these Christian attributes with our own will and determination. And we are frustrated because it simply is not happening. We are frustrated because we are going about it the wrong way. When we hear about this “Fruit” we have a natural tendency to think effort or work or developed skill. We think that forgiveness is a character we must develop. But in reality this “fruit” is something we need to allow grow. In order for the Fruit to develop in our lives we must learn to stop working and start surrendering.
As believers we should not be asking God to help us become more loving or patient or kind. God doesn’t take our natural ability to love or be forgiving and enhance it. No, He transforms it. The “old” passes away and something “new” is reborn within us. Yes, there are certain abilities we can learn (like flying) and certain skills we can enhance. But we simply cannot become someone we are not. It will not happen on our own. However, if we will allow Him, if we surrender to Him, God will plant a seed within us that transforms us into someone we could never be.
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