The Gifts That Keep On Killing

Thomas Midgely was a mechanical and chemical engineer that had over 100 patents in his career. He has won the Priestly Medal the highest award of the American Chemical Society, was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences and hold two honoree degrees because of his work. He also might have done more damage to the atmosphere than any person that ever lived.

You see, Midgely is the man responsible for both leaded gasoline and Freon.

While both products had wonderful uses, they both had deadly consequences. Leaded gasoline is linked to all kinds of long term health problems. Freon was found to destroy the ozone layer. By 2018, both products made the Time’s list off worst inventions of all time.

At least with lead gasoline, he should have known better. The plants that manufacture the stuff had serval deaths attributed to lead poisoning, workers had bouts of insanity and hallucinations because of exposure to it. Midgely even had to take time off to cure treat his own case of lead poisoning. Yet he still felt it was safe to use. He would demonstrate as such by pouring it over his hands and publicly sniffing the stuff.

Why couldn’t he see the dangers?

Well like many, the short term gains were too profitable for him and others to pay much attention to the long term effects.

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

Hebrews 11:24-25

Sin does the same thing. In the moment, it seems wonderful, but the longer-term effects are catastrophic. While it may be easy to enjoy the “passing pleasure of sin” without thinking much of what will happen it doesn’t make it safe. Ignoring the damage doesn’t change the results. Our sinful actions are killing us. You might be lauded in the day but you will be condemned for eternity.

You can either be like Moses or be like Midgely. One compromised his future for the glory of the day, the other refused the easy path for the one that was right?

Which road do we take?

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