Complacency Kills

My Belief

As a pilot I know that complacency is one of the biggest safety concerns we have facing us. When you fly to same cities multiple times in a month, run the same checklists every day, and essentially do the same things over and over again things are bound to become a bit routine. Things can become so routine that normal safe procedures begin to be over looked. Many times guys have said the same checklist so many times that the have it memorized and start reciting it from memory. At times people have taxied or flown the same procedure so many times that the feel that referencing the charts are no longer needed. This can become dangerous and set pilots up for big mistakes. This type of behavior can result in missing an important step on a checklist or route. We discuss cases of this happening in recurrent training every year. There is a good diagram that depicts this behavior. It is 3 circles inside of one another. The smallest circle in the middle is the green safe zone where complacency is held at bay and safety is at its highest point. The middle ring is where the pilot has drifted away from safety into the amber colored caution ring. When he continues to get away with his complacent behavior it becomes “safe” in his mind. This has become his new normal and his future drifting will be from this point. The last ring is the red danger ring. The pilot has drifted from his deviant behavior to a point where a big mistake is now imminent and safety will be compromised.

These 3 rings apply perfectly to my walk with the Lord Jesus. My green middle ring is where I am walking closely with God. I am taking time each day to read the Word, pray, and worship God. As life becomes hectic I tend to drift to a point in the outer caution ring where I don’t read regularly and I give God a “quickie” prayer. I tell myself in my head at some point later in the day I will “get around” to God. It is almost inevitable that I will drift into the last danger ring with this type of behavior. I will drift into a ring where I don’t pray, and I don’t walk with God and I am set up for failure. A failure where I will SIN against my God. In doing so I am sure to hurt myself and the ones around me. This will be a painful process that could be avoided if I would just stay on the straight and narrow in the safe center ring.

Hopefully when pilots make mistakes they are not so big that there can not be a period of reprimand and retraining. This will root them firmly back in the green safe ring. God does the same thing with me when I fail. He humbles me and brings me to my knees. I have no where to go but the foot of the cross and ask for forgiveness. God has always been faithful to pick me up and dust me off. He brings me back into a safe “green circle” walk with him. Thank you God that you are Faithful even when I am not.

Scripture

James 4:8⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Matthew 7:14¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Application

I strive to be faithful to God. I want the Holy Spirit to continue leading me into better and better habits. Habits that will keep me out of dangerous sin and into a healthy walk with the Lord. I am trying to surround myself with Godly people who will help me stay firm in my walk so that I may be a powerful tool for the Lord. I think of so many people in the Bible like David and Samson who drifted into danger and paid a painful price. Lord please help me to stay in a safe walk with you.