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Children's Corner: What's A Harbor Pilot?By Charlene Rider A sea captain has as much power over his ship as the ruler of a nation has over his country. The captain's judgment makes the difference between a ship reaching harbor safely or sinking. The open sea is full of hazards, but there are even more when a ship heads into port and has to travel an underwater road, without road signs. In shallow water the ship's captain faces even more danger. That's where men like my friend, Captain Yamazaki, come in. He's a harbor pilot for the port of Kobe, Japan. His job is to ride a special boat out to meet the ship and bring her in. The harbor pilot knows every inch of the ocean floor in his area so well that he can draw a map from memory. The small boat a harbor pilot rides in can get only so close to the ship. Many times the only way to board a ship is by climbing up a rope or chain ladder. In calm weather, it's not bad, but if it's windy or the sea is choppy, the harbor pilot may find himself sandwiched between the ladder and the ship, hanging on to a flipped-over ladder. If the ladder does not straighten out, the pilot may bang his knuckles against the metal hull of the ship over and over until he loses his grip and falls into the sea. Most of the time, however, these valiant pilots make it up the ladder safely and begin the difficult job of bringing the ship safely into port. Usually the harbor pilot doesn't touch the ship's wheel. He stands on the bridge giving directions. The helmsman follows his orders. The harbor pilot has to quickly discover as much as he can about the ship. Each ship is different. They don't all start, stop, and turn in the same way. How long it takes the ship to make these moves is vital because the undersea road, which the harbor pilot sees in his mind, may become too shallow for the ship. Then she must anchor off-shore at an anchor buoy. If hidden rock shelves jut out, the turning time has to be just right to avoid crashing. The harbor pilot also has to watch for other ships and small boats steaming through the harbor. Men like Captain Yamazaki take on this work after they have retired from active service as sea captains. They are experienced men who have courage and good judgment. They work hard so ships arrive safely in port with their cargo of things we eat, wear, and use everyday. If a captain won't follow the harbor pilot's instructions, or equip his ship with safety device, the harbor pilot's advice cannot save the ship from disaster. You and I have a harbor pilot in our lives, too. He knows much
more than we do, just as the harbor pilot knows the hidden ocean
floor. A harbor pilot instructs, "Go here, not there."
He does not give those commands to restrict the ship, but so she
can arrive safely. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us, "Do this,
not that," for the same reason. The harbor pilot doesn't force
the ship's captain, and Christ won't force us to obey Him, either.
But a wise captain trusts the harbor pilot. Are we as wise in following
God's Word, even when we don't understand? I hope we will all trust
our lives to Christ as the captain of the ship trusts the harbor
pilot to lead his ship safely to shore.
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