Thank You for the 'Parachute Packer'

At a sports banquet this week I was introduced by Coach Scott Grass to the story of Charlie Plumb. According to Mr. Plumb’s website, he flew “74 successful combat missions over North Viet Nam and made over 100 carrier landings. On his 75th mission, just five days before the end of his tour, Plumb was shot down over Hanoi, taken prisoner, tortured, and spent the next 2,103 days as a Prisoner of War.”

However, it is not what happened behind enemy lines on which Coach Grass or Charlie, if you visit his website, focuses. Instead, it is this story that illustrates well the principles from God’s Word that are voiced in our present theme: “We are the Body..knitted together by what every joint supplies!” Enjoy the story!

Recently, I was sitting in a restaurant in Kansas City. A man about two tables away kept looking at me. I didn't recognize him. A few minutes into our meal he stood up and walked over to my table, looked down at me, pointed his finger in my face and said, "You're Captain Plumb."

I looked up and I said, "Yes sir, I'm Captain Plumb."

He said, "You flew jet fighters in Vietnam. You were on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down. You parachuted into enemy hands and spent six years as a prisoner of war."

I said, "How in the world did you know all that?"

He replied, "Because, I packed your parachute."

I was speechless. I staggered to my feet and held out a very grateful hand of thanks. This guy came up with just the proper words. He grabbed my hand, he pumped my arm and said, "I guess it worked."

"Yes sir, indeed it did", I said, "and I must tell you I've said a lot of prayers of thanks for your nimble fingers, but I never thought I'd have the opportunity to express my gratitude in person."

He said, "Were all the panels there?"

"Well sir, I must shoot straight with you," I said, "of the eighteen panels that were supposed to be in that parachute, I had fifteen good ones. Three were torn, but it wasn't your fault, it was mine. I jumped out of that jet fighter at a high rate of speed, close to the ground. That's what tore the panels in the chute. It wasn't the way you packed it."

"Let me ask you a question," I said, "do you keep track of all the parachutes you pack?"

"No" he responded, "it's enough gratification for me just to know that I've served."

I didn't get much sleep that night. I kept thinking about that man. I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform - a Dixie cup hat, a bib in the back and bell bottom trousers. I wondered how many times I might have passed him on board the Kitty Hawk. I wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said "good morning", "how are you", or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor. How many hours did he spend on that long wooden table in the bowels of that ship weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of those chutes? I could have cared less...until one day my parachute came along and he packed it for me. Charlie Plumb

As a believer, member of the body of Christ, and a participant in Tri-County Bible Church we are a part of something bigger. We have an active purpose given to us by God the moment we are born again! At that moment we are placed into a team, a body, a family, and we are needed! What’s more, if we aren’t fulfilling our purpose, others are endangered! What a joy to fulfill our God-given purpose! Joy comes from God himself when we fulfill our purpose given by Him. We aren’t fueled simply by the praise of others.

And yet the truth is, we need others! We can’t go it alone! Appreciation and respect should be normal to us if we really understand body life as the Bible teaches it! Perhaps a thank you note to the ‘parachute packer’ or the ‘fighter pilot’ in our church is in order this week. Both are needed!

To read more about the Scriptural principles we are engaging in, read I Corinthians 12. To learn more about Charlie Plumb visit his website at www.charlieplumb.com.