Adjusting the Thermostat
May 2022

It’s quite warm when walking into the crew room or break room.  The hallways outside in the terminal are refreshingly cool, but the crew room is awkwardly uncomfortable.  The temperature seems on the higher side.  What do you do?  Depending on your crew room, you might say something to another peer and ask if they also feel quite warm or just find the thermostat and seek to lower the temperature setting to cool it down.  The thermostat becomes adjusted.

Application in Our Lives

   How does this apply to us spiritually?  Adjusting the thermostat can be related to being fragrant, so to speak.  In 2 Corinthians 2:15-17, the Apostle Paul speaks of being the fragrance of Christ. As a Christian, I want to have the aroma of Christ Jesus, the fragrance of His life which was given to everyone who has acknowledged and received Jesus into their hearts through faith.  We need to take time and think before speaking …so that when words and actions are given, may they be with grace, seasoned with salt as in Colossians 4:5, 6.  The metaphor with salt is that it provides seasoning and flavor, and also preserves.  This applies to words as well … may the words spoken be with wisdom, have flavor and be valued for a long time.

Seek wisdom to relate to each unexpected encounter at any God given time.  Discernment is important for accountability to keep focus on Christ Jesus.  Sometimes pride or burdens might set in, and we may forget to let go of or lay these down at the feet of Jesus.  Common sins that take root will block our ability to reflect God’s love through Christ Jesus.  Before He prophesied about His death and resurrection, Jesus shares (Matthew 11:28) about giving rest to “all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens…”  He draws us to himself.  He will give each person rest.

Laying Down our Burdens

   Several years ago while in our crew room, I shared a very stressful situation with a fellow captain.  He listened intently and then asked me a basic question, “Do you know where to lay it down?”  I responded to him and asked the clarification question, “You mean, my burden?”  He said, “Yes!”  I responded, “I do know”.  He then stated, “You will be just fine then.”  He left the crew room shortly after the comment.

I have reflected on this conversation many times since then.  He had listened to me and then gently asked a basic question with which I could identify.  At that point, I made the choice to surrender my burden to Jesus.  The selfish feelings of entitlement while hanging onto my bitterness takes up precious time that could be used for praising and worshiping God and praying for others throughout the day.  We need to be aware of how these burdens block our focus and how they affect the focus of others around us.  Surrendering or laying down my “Why me?” burden, my “anxiety” burden, the “unknown fear” burden, and “insecurity” burden…I need to do this daily and sometimes several times a day.

The pilot was a brother in Christ, and he was setting the thermostat controls to a desired temperature that would lighten my load, make the room more comfortable, and allow me to refocus and be drawn back into the realm of concentrating on what I need to here on earth as it is in heaven.  “Do you know where to lay it down?”

Entering the Throne Room

   The Lord’s Prayer provides guidance as to how to lay down the burden.  Enter the throne room of God and, as a servant, express and acknowledge God’s holiness and greatness.  Acknowledge the burden, be transparent, ask Jesus for help.  Then as transparency is given, I believe pride loses grip, resentment dissolves, and extending forgiveness becomes easier to the person who burdened me, even if that person is me. I pray for God’s hand to be involved.  Trusting God’s ordained timing, I believe the aroma and fragrance naturally grows stronger.  The thermostat will naturally be adjusted for the Kingdom of God. EK

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.”   Matthew 6:9-13 NASB

Additional Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 2:15-17; Colossians 4:5,6; Matthew 11:28

 This article was written by Eugene Kraybill.  Eugene serves on our FCAP Board of Directors and as Senior Chaplain at the Washington-Dulles International Airport. He is regional Chief Pilot for Mesa Airlines at IAD.  His wife Christina also serves in the IAD Chapel.

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