When it comes to understanding the meaning of love, you can't top Jesus of Nazareth. He is God, and God is not just loving, He is love. He's the standard, the definition of the term. His teachings, faithfully preserved for thousands of years, tell us that no one has or exhibits greater love than the man who willingly lays down his life for another.
Of all the stories that are beginning to emerge out of the tragic wildfires in Hawaii, I've been drawn to the sacrificial death of transplanted South Carolinian Joe Schilling. According to family and witnesses, Joe spent his final moments on earth desperately rushing back into his burning apartment building to rescue five senior citizens who couldn't get out.
Discovering what happened with Schilling has depended on family painfully piecing together the patchwork communication he had with them on August 8th. After having fled his Lahaina apartment complex, Schilling became aware that five of his elderly neighbors had not been able to escape.
While others evacuated to safety, Schilling doubled back, and when he found they were unable to move quickly, began pulling the senior citizens into his apartment. He sent text messages to his friends and family to let them know where he was.
"We are trapped, can't see a thing, plus when u try to breath it burns ur lungs," he texted a friend about 4 pm. Moments later he sent, "Breathing through wet towels," followed by, "6 of us in one unit." Then ten minutes later, his final text: "Cars parked on the road now exploding."
One other resident who escaped the fire thanks to Joe's assistance lived to tell of his heroism and self-sacrifice, a reality that surprised no one who knew him.
Akiva Bluh, who considered himself like an adopted nephew to Joe, told ABC News, "If he saw someone in need, I know he would have gone out of the way, so the fact that he did that brings me solace and peace, knowing that he showed his true genuine character."
There's no doubt that many other such stories of heroism in the face of certain death will surface in the days and weeks to come. I hope each one gets as much attention as the wrangling over causes, consequences, climate, and chattering politicians.
Joe Schilling embodied self-sacrificial love in his final moments. I don't know if he actually knew, and had surrendered his soul to Christ, but I'm so hopeful that he did. Because if so, with as tragic as it is to think about his eyes closing for the final time here on earth, just imagine him opening them on the other side of eternity, and opening them to see Jesus smiling and saying, "well done."
May God bless his memory as well as all those lost and left behind in this terrible tragedy.
