The Demon Of Firefighter Pride

We help others but become helpless.

“He who created us without our help, will not save us without our consent”

-Saint Augustine

Firefighting is an act of servant hood that can only be truly beneficial when it is done by a team. Our history speaks of the tragic moments when lone firefighters died. They became lost, trapped, all when they were separated from their crew.

We are taught to perform everything together: from our daily roll call, station duties, calls for service, and performing community service. Yet for some reason, we pull away and stand alone when it comes to dealing with our personal lives.

Why Is This?

Consider this: An ember in the fire stays hot only if it is surrounded by other embers burning with the same degree of intensity. But if one ember is removed from the “fiery encouragement” its’ intensity begins to diminish, it turns gray, and becomes cold as if it were dead.  Amazingly, if the seemingly dead coal is placed back with the other burning embers it comes alive!

We as firefighters know all too well the dark side of being alone. Why is it that we refuse to call out for help when we ourselves are in desperate need?

The answer is pride.

Firefighters are capable of handling three alarm fires, delivering babies, performing CPR, extricating patients from a mangled vehicle, and rendering aid to the sick. Then we return to our personal lives often feeling ill-equipped to face our own emergency.

The inner voice of pride says “it’s my problem, I’ll deal with it.

Who would want to help me anyway? Besides I don’t want to lay my burdens on anyone else.”

This voice is the inner voice of selfish pride and you must disregard it if you want to survive.

Remember…

“Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ”

Galatians 6:2

Don’t let your life burn down around you while there stands at the ready those willing to come to your aid.  If you or someone you know is carrying a heavy burden alone, reach through the fire and be the answer they need.  To know Christ is to realize that He has divinely appointed you for a purpose and has placed those in your fellowship that you need or may need you.

Come along side one another and offer the greatest gift that you could give: Love.

When we attempt to solve someone’s problems with a quick answer it often belittles them and diminishes their self-worth. The greater challenge is to care enough to hurt with them, carry their load, and provide the best answer anyone could receive which is the gift of comfort.

This is true brotherhood.