Our Source Of Help!

Illus: When I think of safety, I think of a man that worked in a paint mixing room. In his carelessness, he caused a tremendous explosion. After the explosion, they began to investigate what had happened. One of the fellows there saw what caused it to happen.

• The investigator said, "You were near the scene - what happened?"

• "Well, it's like this. Old Charley Higgins was in the mixing room and the break bell went off. Old Charley sat on top of a drum of acetone and I saw him take a cigarette out of his pocket and start to light up."

• "He struck a match in the mixing room?" the investigator said in stunned horror, "How long had he been working in the mixing room?"

• "About 20 years, sir."

• "After 20 years, he goes and strikes a match in the mixing room! I'd have thought that would have been the last thing he'd have done."

• "It was, sir."

Safety should be a top priority on jobs because many have lost their lives, and others have been injured for life. Another place we think about safety is on the highways.

Illus: Speaking of cars, the following quotes were actually taken from insurance forms and were eventually published in the Toronto Sun, July 26, 1998.

•“A pedestrian hit me and went under my car.”

•“The guy was all over the road; I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.”

•“I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment.”

• “An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my vehicle, and vanished.”

• “I was sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the roadway when I struck him.”

• “The pedestrian had no idea which direction to go, so I ran over him.”

•“I saw the slow-moving, sad-faced old gentleman as he bounced off the hood of my car.”

•“The telephone pole was approaching fast. I was attempting to swerve out of its path when it struck the front of my car.”

We hear a great deal about safety today, and for that we can all thankful. For example:

• We are glad that the government is requiring the car industry to build safer cars for our families to ride in.

• We are glad that the local government provides building inspectors to insure our homes are safe for our families.

• We are glad the government provides policemen to make our neighborhoods safe for our families.

• We are glad the government makes sure that the drugs we take for our health, help us and do not hurt us.

We all understand the value of safety. But the desire to be safe is not only something we humans desire, it is also in the animal world. For example, when any of God’s creatures are confronted with danger, they have a place to flee for safety.

• THE RABBIT - You can chase a rabbit and he will run for a briar patch every time. Why? Because he knows this is his place of safety.

• THE SQUIRREL - You can chase a squirrel and he will run for the nearest tree every time. Why? Because he knows this is his place of safety.

• THE BIRD - You can chase a bird and he will fly high into the air every time. Why? Because he knows the air is his place of safety.

• THE INSECT - You can chase an insect and he will run for a hole or crevice in the ground to hide in every time. Why? Because he knows this is his place of safety.

Animals and humans seem to have the same BASIC INSTINCT TO LIVE A LIFE OF SAFETY.

Everyone here today has that SAME BASIC INSTINCT, but everyone here has not chosen the same place to put our trust for safety. For example:

(1) SOME TRUST WEALTH AS A PLACE OF REFUGE

In their minds they say, “I will stockpile all the money I can, so when danger confronts me I will have enough money to take care of myself."

MONEY CAN NOT DO ALL THE THINGS PEOPLE THINK IT CAN DO! We live in a world of people who think money is the answer to all of life’s problems. For example:

• We are told the ANSWER to the EDUCATION PROBLEMS in this country is MORE MONEY.

• We are told the ANSWER to our CRIME PROBLEMS in this country is to spend MORE MONEY.

• We are told the ANSWER to DRUG PROBLEMS in this country is to spend MORE MONEY.

• We are told the ANSWER to AIDS in this country is to spend MORE MONEY.