West Cocoa Chat

Many of you may remember the famous 60's film, "Cool Hand Luke." One of the most often quoted lines from the movie was spoken by the Warden towards Luke when he said, "What we've got here is a failure to communicate."

We had a guest at "breakfast with the boys" today. He was invited by the "head" of our "yard cutting crew," Glenn, who as I've said in the past was a former "Sargent Major of the Army," the highest ranking enlisted man in the Army. John told us how he served under Glenn initially during the Korean War. We asked John if he and Glenn were friends? He laughed and said, "No sir, I worked for the Sargent Major from a distance and I tried to keep it that way." This wasn't a slam on Glenn more than it was the old adage, "If I'm doing my job then the boss doesn't need to "notice" me to chew me out."

John told us years later his path crossed with Glenn at our local Air Force Base. John was wrapping up his military career by working in Base Operations. He said he was sitting at his desk when the former Sgt. Major of the Army walked in to his office. John said his desk moved about 2 feet as he rose and snapped to attention.

It seemed a certain Staff Sargent was giving Glenn a hard time about getting a base I.D. for retired personnel. John said he told Glenn, "Sgt. Major, what we have here is a failure to communicate." He then took Glenn to the Staff Sargent's Office and communicated to the gentleman who Glenn was and that a man who had served in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars, who was the Sgt. Major of the Army, and who is still called upon from time to time to consult at the Pentagon, should not have a problem getting a base I.D.!

Have you ever been on both ends of this problem? Have you had times (duh?) where you "failed to communicate" or could not be recognized for who you are? How about this for recognition- being recognized as "fellow citizens of God's people" and you won't need a base I.D. to prove it:

Eph. 2

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.