Commandant's Letter

It was 4 a.m. I jumped in my Coast Guard uniform and rushed out the door. The station XPO (executive petty officer) just called for me in for questioning. A shot-gun toting guard escorted me to the dock where millions of dollars of cocaine were lined up in white packages. It covered the dock at Station Islamorada.

That bust was a result of a phone call from an informant. I happened to answer that call while on one of my first reservist weekends. I was 17 years old and still a senior in high school. I had turned the information over to the officer of the day and the boat crew went on the search.

The Commandant’s Letter of Commendation I received for that didn’t seem like a big deal. I just did the right thing. But it happened to be when others were doing the wrong thing.

Later that year, some of the crew members were sent to the brig. They had pocketed tips from informants, made the seizures, and sold the drugs.

That day 20 years ago, I went home after I answered the questions, got dressed for school, and went on with life as usual.

Word got out. A couple days later one of my teachers said, “Hey, I know about the bust this weekend. Why didn’t you say anything?”

That’s how I want to live out my faith today -- just doing the right thing before the Lord. When others notice I trust it will raise a question that leads them to Christ.

The next Commandant’s Letter of Commendation I hope for is what’s written in Matthew 25:21. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

Let’s go be faithful with a few things today.

Amen.


Gifted Quill Devotional
by Nancy Lucas
November 16, 2007
313 words