The Rocket Ship

On January 28th, 1986 the space shuttle “Challenger” was all set to take off as the 25th NASA space shuttle mission. It was meant to be a routine mission to launch a satellite and gather information on Halley’s comet. After the mission got delayed due to cold weather conditions, the flight finally took off at 11:38am. Disaster then struck just 73 seconds after lift off as the ship blew up and disintegrated into pieces.

After doing some research, I found out that there were over 190,000 hardware pieces, it cost over $450 million to build, and there were over 2000 people working on preparing it for lift off over a span of 2 years. However, the one thing that caused it to explode within seconds was an O-ring the size of a penny. The ice had caused the O-ring to stiffen which reduced its ability to seal the joints. Therefore, hot pressurized gas leaked into the right booster and caused the rocket ship to collapse in on itself.

This story is a great example about how the smallest, seemingly insignificant details matter in life. This is especially true in our relationship with God and others.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the apostle Paul writes about how we, as believers, are all a part of the same body. He writes, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable… If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:21-22, 26)

Using the analogy of the body, Paul emphasizes the importance of every single body part functioning together no matter how small or insignificant we think it might be. Just like how the rocket ship depended on one tiny O-ring, we also need to depend upon one another, even those that seem unimportant. We might last a short time alone, but we will never be able to truly function properly or fulfill our God given purpose without the people around us.

Sometimes I can get into a prideful, isolation mindset that says “I don’t need anyone,” “people suck” and “I would rather work or be alone.” While there is nothing wrong with being alone sometimes, the more I journey through life, the more I realize how much I need to depend on and trust the people that are around me. Whether that is my friends, co-workers, church members, or my family, every person is significant and important.

Today, let’s not forget that people are the mission. Even the smallest connection or contribution to someone’s life could make all the difference. Let’s remember that each gift, each voice, and each contribution matters. When we embrace our need for each other and work together as God intended, we create a community that is strong, resilient, and aligned with His purpose.

The Bigger Picture: Just as a tiny O-ring held the fate of the Challenger, every person plays a crucial role in God’s plan, and we thrive when we embrace our need for one another.