Volume 32

Soon after the first railway steam engine was built in 1804, locomotives came to symbolise change and the new century’s bold emphasis on emerging technology. After all, the fastest anyone had ever travelled was about 30 miles an hour — the average speed of a galloping horse. But trains were going an astonishing 60 miles an hour and most people viewed the all-powerful “iron horse” with a combination of amazement and fear.

It didn’t help that history’s first passenger rail fatality happened when a British politician was run over on the very day a new train system was unveiled. From then on, accidents were routine, thanks to rickety tracks and bridges, exploding boilers and inexperienced workers. By the end of the 1800s, railways were responsible annually for an astounding 10,000 deaths and 80,000 injuries.

Especially dangerous were the level-crossings, which usually cut through the middle of a city. In a single year, 330 residents of Chicago died while trying to cross the tracks. No wonder fearful passengers began to develop common symptoms, including anxiety, confusion, sleeplessness, memory loss, mood swings and even weight loss. British doctor John Eric Erichsen called the symptoms “railway spine,” assuming they were caused by a shock to the backbone.

Soon, train accident victims, or people who just saw the accidents,began to complain of sleeplessness, nightmares, numbness in the limbs and the inability to do daily tasks. Even when there were no physical injuries, those who suffered from “railway neurosis” won big settlements in the courts. Those in the new field of psychology were convinced that extremely frightening events could put such pressure on humans that they were negatively affected long after. Today, that’s an accepted reality called Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Ironically, it’s seldom brought on these days by riding a train.

All of this holds some valuable lessons for our spirituality, especially if we see the train as a symbol of personal transformation. That’s because, when the Bible talks about change, it means spiritual renewal — an inner openness to change. Discussing those who reject God, Paul describes their resistance to change. “Their closed minds are full of darkness,” he says. “They’re far away from the life of God because they’ve shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him.” (Eph. 4:18) In contrast, followers of Christ embrace change. “Since you’ve... learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life... Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you’re a new person, created in God’s likeness — righteous, holy and true.” (vv. 21-24)

Such change is a lifelong process. Even when we’re on track, there are risks, simply because genuine transformation is so easily derailed by our sinful, self-centred desires. On top of that, the spiritual ride is always deeply unsettling because it takes us well beyond anything we’ve experienced before. Change, by its very nature, involves loss of some sort: loss of security, tradition, comfort or control, which is why we’re so reluctant to take it on. But we have only two choices when it comes to change: get on board, or be run over.

True transformation does have an effect on our backbone. It gives us courage and confidence that God can mould us, then use us in meaningful ways to make us happy and bless the lives of others. Yes, change is scary. But frightening events can also put such pressure on humans that they’re positively affected long after the fact. And eventually, what once seemed so terrifying barely gets us fired up.

By Rick Gamble. Published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the followers of Christ congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Reprint at will in not-for-profit publications. To subscribe to this free weekly article,

It’s now official. Rick Gamble will be going to east Africa on another documentary project. Along with producer Dave Klassen and videographer Andrew Heubner, he’ll return to northern Uganda to update the civil war he first covered in 2001. A truce has been called in the hostilities and the government has offered a blanket amnesty to rebels who lay down their weapons. Many rebels, primarily child soldiers, are returning to the villages where they committed rape and murder and their victims are helping them reintegrate, recognising the children were victims themselves, long before they victimised others. This powerful story of love, forgiveness and reconciliation will be told in a documentary called Bending Spears. The crew leaves June 21st and returns July 13th. Please pray for the success of this important project which has much to teach our culture.