Ladder companies in a fire department are critical to fighting fire. Their trucks carry all kinds of important equipment, from hand raised ground ladders to huge extension ladders, plus breathing equipment, power saws, and other tools to help in forced entry, search and rescue, and other life and property saving actions.
Firefighters are expertly trained and skilled professionals. But there are two things essential to being successful in controlling and extinguishing a fire: having the right equipment, and using it correctly.
Fire engines are loaded with all kinds of equipment, and the men and women who work the trucks are trained extensively in how to use that equipment.
Author Bill Thrall writes about a different kind of ladder. He says that there is a ‘ladder of success’ that every person must climb in life. More specifically, he says the ladder of success is actually composed of two ladders: capacity (which can also be referred to as “competency”) and character. Both ladders must be climbed at the same time.
Let’s assume people are actually committed to climbing both of the ladders, competency and character. I’m wondering, who is carrying the ladder of character to the fire? There are many who are teaching skills (competency), but who is teaching character?
What would happen in fighting a fire if the ladder company didn’t show up? It would greatly hinder the ability of firefighters to do their job, and it could spell disaster for the lives and property involved.
We are putting our communities at severe risk when we do not give attention to providing our people with the ladder of character (just as when we don’t teach them competency). To say it another way: we must have individuals and organizations in every community which are committed to developing solid moral character in the lives of men, women, and children. Otherwise we are inviting disaster.
What are the character builders in our communities? Who are the members of our moral ladder companies (MLC)?
Certainly the family must be a part of the MLC. From the earliest times, parents and grandparents have been charged with building character in the young.
Another MLC team member is the local church. Spiritual formation builds character.
Those two, the family and the church, are fairly obvious (or so it seems to me). But I think of two other groups that ought to be helping people climb the ladder of character: public schools and civic organizations. Too often these folk bring only the ladder of competence (skills training) to the fire. No one brings the character ladder. We leave character building to someone else, and really no one is giving it much time.
When we do that, we leave our kids to fight the fire bare handed.
