Adjust Your Own Mask First.
I sat on the tarmac as the plane
began its taxi and the flight attendants began their balancing act between two overhead
compartments demonstrating the safety features.
Having heard these messages many of times, I cannot say I was fully
attentive. Then the voice came to the
part about the oxygen mask. I began to think about the necessity for such an
admonition: “If you are traveling with a child or someone in need of your
assistance, please adjust your own mask first.”
For one thing, I decided, the
instructions were counter-intuitive. Most
people with someone depending on them would naturally care for that person
first. That instinct would, in some
circumstances, be disastrous. The care-giver could quickly be rendered unable
to care for his charge, or himself. Another
reason for these specific instructions is that those responsible for the safety
of all need to minimize the number of people needing direct assistance. If the care-giver responds as instructed
neither of them will require emergency assistance from the crew.
We women as wives and mothers, in our
job as “caregiver” may be tempted to rush to assist others before we have adjusted our own masks. When we rush in without the counsel of the
lord we can easily be overcome by the intensity of the resistance to our efforts. It may seem that those entrusted to us would
expect sacrificial service, but they are actually counting on us to
survive. When we take the time to take
care of ourselves we are preparing to meet their needs. Prayer and meditation are a major part of that
preparation. When we allow ourselves to
be filled with the word and attend to the instructions of the Holy Spirit, we
are ready for the challenges ahead.
