From 10,000 Feet to Point-Blank Range

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Matthew 20:28

From 10,000 Feet to Point-Blank Range

by Frank Paul

In 1998 the movie Bat*21 was released. It starred Gene Hackman and Danny Glover. Set in the Viet Nam War era, Gene Hackman was a B-52 bomber pilot. He and his crew of five would take off from the U.S. base in Guam, cruise at an altitude of 40,000 feet, then descend to 10,000 feet once they arrived over Viet Nam to begin their bombing raids. In the movie, Gene Hackman was on his last mission before retirement when he was shot down over Viet Nam. He and his crew bailed out but only he survived, injuring one of his landing gears (his leg) upon impact. Mr. Hackman found himself behind enemy lines and had to hobble to a safe LZ (landing zone), so he could be picked up by Danny Glover and the rescue team.

While making his way through the dense jungle, Mr. Hackman stumbled across a family of rice farmers working in the fields. They see him and immediately give chase. Armed with machetes and pitch forks they quickly gain on the injured downed bomber pilot and Mr. Hackman has no other choice but to draw his 1911 .45 caliber sidearm and kill them at point-blank range. Visibly shaken by the amount of blood and death he witnessed so close up, it took him a few seconds to gather himself, but he did, and then ran off as best he could; the other farmers fleeing after hearing the gunshots.

Finally rescued by Danny Glover and his team, they ask him how he was. Gene Hackman replied that it sure is different from 10,000 feet when you drop bombs, destroy villages, and all you see is a plume of smoke, compared to point-blank range when you see their blood covered bodies.

Fast forward to today. Just last week I discovered I was Gene Hackman. A large part of my ministry thus far has been writing articles, sending out newsletters, creating a website, even writing a book for Jesus, and basically just dropping leaflets from 10,000 feet hoping someone, somewhere would pick them up and read about Jesus and want to get to know Him.

Last Sunday I volunteered at an assisted living center transporting wheelchair bound residents to the in-house church service they have every week. Elderly people that did not have all their mental faculties, nor extremities, or were hooked up to oxygen tanks to breathe, or who were just simply lonely and had no desire to move, but yet were thrilled when they finally realized that someone they did not even know would take the time to stop by and bring them to the church service.  

Talk about point-blank range. What a difference it is to see people in need close up. To see their pain, their loneliness, their feebleness. Quite frankly, at first it broke my heart; but then unbelievably, by the time I left, the same people healed it. The smiles, the struggling to wave good-bye, the pat on my hand followed by a “Thanks, young fella.” Now in my seventh decade, I do not get called young fella much anymore. I laughed, I almost cried.

Here is the moral of the story, because it certainly is not about me; it is about you and Jesus. “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did to me.” Matthew 25:40.  …“for I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35. And there is a plethora of examples of Jesus’ heart in the New Testament discussing taking care of others.

The holidays will be here before we know it. This time of year can be a difficult and trying time for some, especially the elderly. Why not visit a nursing home or assisted living care center in your area and ask if they need any volunteers to sit and chat with people, or transport them from point A to point B. I can assure you, they all need help. Most of these centers are short staffed as it is, so any volunteering is much appreciated.

If that type of environment is a bit too much for you, I imagine there are people you know in your circle of family, friends, or acquaintances that could use a phone call to say hi, a real phone call as opposed to a text or email; a visit from someone, a food delivery to an individual who is home-bound. The examples are endless; there is always someone in need of some company.

You might have to come down from 10,000 feet to point-blank range, but oh my, it does wonders for the other person, it is boots on the ground ministry, and you can trust that it will make Jesus smile, as well. God bless you, my friends.

“If you think of this world as a place simply intended for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: Think of it as a place for training and correction, and it’s not so bad.”   

 C.S. Lewis