Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. ~Proverbs 3:5 [CSB]
Earned trust is one of life’s most valuable commodities. Legendary management guru Peter Drucker once said that organizations are no longer built on force but by trust. I believe communicating and receiving trust stems from God, Who remains trustworthy in all situations. In aviation, passengers trust their lives to pilots, flight crew, air traffic controllers, mechanics, engineers, and regulatory infrastructure.
Over the past century, aviation has experienced failures rooted in poor design, human error, and organizational pressures. Political and business leaders have broken trust from Watergate to Enron. Pete Rose slugged 4,256 hits during a historic career but gambling destroyed his legacy. The Commissioner banned Rose from baseball for life. The greatest hitter of all time has no path to Cooperstown. Fun fact: Rose has 1,100 more than baseball’s current active hit leader: 39-year old future hall of famer Albert Pujols. Trust can be broken in a moment, replaced by skepticism, anxiety, or frustration – rooted in fear.
He hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but one of
power, love, and sound judgment
In the early 1950s, Britain launched the Comet, a new passenger jet aircraft. Three mysterious crashes occurred during a short time – two off the Italian coast. Investigators discovered a square window design bred premature metal fatigue cracks, leading to in-flight decompression failures. Engineers redesigned the windows with rounded edges, but the Americans had launched the Boeing 707, which took over the global jet market. The largest Comet customer became the Royal Air Force, operating the military variant known as the Nimrod when the simple design flaw was corrected. The question on everyone’s minds in the 1950’s: Are jets safe?
Around 2010, perceived high costs of emissions controls led Volkswagen engineers to cheat over the past decade launching their first- and second-generation diesel models. Rather than sell high-quality cost-efficient transportation (as perceived by customers) they secretly programmed the car’s engines to run differently during EPA testing. Normal software programming included operations emitting up to 40 times allowable pollutants. Slapped with stiff penalties worldwide, industry analysts say VW’s costs of the scandal range from $18 to $30 Billion. Manufacturers seem focused on developing and promoting electric technology.
With a Super Bowl berth on the line, referees missed a crucial pass interference penalty with less than two minutes remaining in the Saints/Rams 2018 National Football Conference championship. Fans, coaches, and owners lobbied for a new policy change mandating video review in similar situations moving forward. Video review of referee and umpire decisions (now even ‘non-calls’) has become the new norm because officials’ decisions aren’t completely trustworthy. Why? Because people make mistakes. All of us. Myself. And you too.
Struggles, setbacks, and challenges knock us down. When something I believe in crumbles, where do I turn? How do I respond? Scripture contains rich treasures revealing God’s ways, plans, and heart.
- Because people make mistakes.
- All of us.
- Myself.
- And you too.
God encourages His children to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9) and reminds us He hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment (2 Timothy 1:7). In aviation lingo, I would define the Bible as an operating manual, describing the origin of life, identity of God, purpose of man, how God wants man to live (morality), and His destiny for all. Rather than a worldview of reliance and trust on men (or self) I want to pursue a worldview centered upon the Bible.
What do you trust in?
Describe your worldview.
Flight and Faith blog: drmitchellmorrison.com