White Noise

In my twenty year tenure with Hewlett Packard and its spin-off Agilent Technologies, I spent the majority of the time in the position of a Process Supervisor.  In that role I supervised various production areas within the Fabrication section of the manufacturing division in Santa Rosa, California.  One of the last operations that I supervised was in the CNC Machining Center.  This was a big organization that took up a whole floor in the largest of the four buildings on the site.  I shared responsibilities with three other supervisors in the Milling side of the shop. 

My desk was located right on the floor with the large machines separated by Herman Miller panels.  Over the three or four years that I was part of that team, my hearing took a beating as I was uncomfortable wearing hearing protection in my ears and felt like my head was in a box when I wore ear muffs.  I finally found a head set that electronically filtered the loud noises that didn't make me feel like being in a box, but by then the damage was done.  Over the years since then, my hearing has greatly improved, but I still am bothered by loud background noises.  Sometimes it is a little difficult to clearly hear on the phone when the TV or radio is on in the room, and there is nothing like the peace that fills the room after we turn off the house fan when the evening coastal breezes cool down the city on a warm summer day.

I got to thinking about background noise when I read from I Corinthians 13:1 this morning.  It says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”  (NKJV)  My first thought concerning this statement from the Apostle Paul was that without Godly love, I am just adding to the noise in the world.  But as I pondered this, the term “White Noise” came to mind.  Simply said, “White Noise” is sound at a particular frequency that cuts through background noise because it contains a great amount of high frequency content.  Many sirens that we hear on emergency vehicles are designed to emit “White Noise” because it makes it easier for the listener to pinpoint the location of the approaching vehicle.

I think that “White Noise” would be a more accurate comparison to actions without Godly love.  It is not just a normal part of the background, but it stands out!  When I was in the shop you could quickly discern a sound that was out of the ordinary, even though there was a constant drone of audible activity.  It could have been a broken bit, an extra hard material or a cutting tool making contact with the metal at the wrong speed.  What ever the reason, the loud noise immediately tattled on the problem.

Over the last few years I have been in the situation where the “White Noise” was prevalent in my communications with a few people in the context of my wife’s and my needs.  These few would be quick to offer suggestions but slow to demonstrate empathy to our situation.  It was rather evident in some cases, that the individuals involved did not really want to be a part of the solution to our need.  It was both amazing and confusing to me to have my emotional outreach for help be turned aside by the listener and see them quickly change the direction of the conversation.  It was like the sudden intrusion of that loud and unusual sound emitting from the machines in the shop that caused you to stop what you were doing and take notice.  I have since come to realize that it was simply an action taken that could keep them somewhat aware of but yet comfortably disconnected from the situation.

The Message Bible seems to be a little more distinct in its modern paraphrase of 1Corinthians 13:1.  It states that “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.”  This wording tends to clearly define love as an action taken, not just as a quality that one may possess.  And the idea of a creaking rusty gate makes me cringe with the remembrance of the screech of someone’s fingernails being dragged across the blackboard in school!  You know what I mean?

This vivid lesson on love has made me intensely aware of my own reactions and response to other people’s needs.  Due to this personal experience, I want to make sure that I am not that screeching fingernail on the blackboard of someone else’s life.  I want to see that my actions are not just “noise” of any volume in their lives, but a kind and reassuring, non-judgmental voice, a helping hand, or an empathetic listening ear when other lives have been turned upside down.  How about you?

Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”