What Do We Value In Times Of Distress?

by Tom Wacaster

Seventy-two hours before Hurricane Rita hit the Texas coast the warning was given to evacuate the Galveston-Houston area.  Not a few residents of Harris County had begun the evacuation several days earlier; others began packing bags and belongings as soon as the warning was given; still others delayed their departure for another 24 hours.  Those of us living miles removed from the threatened areas watched the media coverage, witnessing lines of automobiles attempting to move northward on Interstate 45, west on Interstate 10, or north on highway 59 - major evacuation routes in times of disaster.  After Katrina devastated the southern half of Louisiana and Mississippi a few weeks earlier, leaving in its wake massive flooding in New Orleans, the residents of Texas wanted nothing to do with what the victims of Katrina went through.  And so began the "exodus."  Major highways were clogged with more than two and a half million citizens fleeing the impending doom.  It turned into a monumental traffic jam, stretching more than 100 miles from Houston to Huntsville.  The pictures we saw on TV were astonishing, to say the least. 

What would you take with you if you were forced to flee your residence?  With short notice, limited space, and even less time, cars were packed and trailers loaded.  We learned that our massive evacuation plans in large metropolitan areas such as Houston needs some work.  But we also learned that people put stock in some of the strangest of "things" when it comes right down to saving what is really important to us.  According to a number of eye-witnesses, here are some of the things that Houstonians loaded into their cars, vans, and trucks, as they began their evacuation:  One man in a cowboy hat was seen with, what one witness called, "the biggest, ugliest recliner in the back of his pickup - nothing else - just this phenomenally ugly chair!"  A number of folks loaded up their trucks, attached second cars, boats, campers, and trailers - attempting to save as many of their material possessions as possible.  Many people brought their pets.  But what pets!  One man had a goat in a rather luxurious sport utility vehicle, chewing away at the seats and other items within its reach.   One woman actually was seen on the side of the road feeding her pet rat!  Why would anyone bring a rat?  Photo albums, ragged old quilts, the kids favorite blanket or toy - yes, these were the things people clung to in their time of distress. 

What did you notice about those "things"?  Maybe I'm missing something here, but most of the items that were reported as "top priority" in the list of things to carry were of no monetary value.  Most of that "stuff" was sentimental stuff.    One lady was reported to have gone through every room in her house, eventually picking out those things most important to her:  dishes, flatware, chipped and cracked old plates, bent spoons - things that described her own little world. 

But you know what?  All those "things" brought no comfort to that vast multitude of people caught up in the horror of the moment!  Some got fed up with the long lines at stations as they attempted to fill their automobile with gasoline.  Others became frustrated with the slow movement away from the impending face of danger.  It was what one writer described as "helplessness distilled to purity."  In the face of fear people reacted in different ways. Some became heroes; some acted like nothing more than animals. If I could venture a guess, I would say that those who put their trust in the "things" they carried with them were among those who turned on others in desperation, while those who valued life itself above all their material possessions were the same ones who helped others in need. 

The Bible has much to say about riches, wealth, and material possessions.  First, these are things that come from God, for He is the source of all our blessings.  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" (Jas. 1:17).  Second, material things are "uncertain" and "fleeting."  They can be blown away by a hurricane, stolen by a thief, or destroyed by fire.  Third, material possessions offer no comfort in the face of danger.  Many a man on the Titanic would have traded all he possessed for a simple life raft or boat.  Finally, those who are "minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition" (1 Tim. 6:9). 

What if you and I had to depart with great haste from some impending danger? What would we carry with us?  Our computers? Televisions? Cash boxes, stocks and bonds, jewelry?  Or would we get our Bible, or some favorite commentary for reading and study?  It is a sobering question that comes to each of us:  "What do we value in times of distress?"