From Death to Life

Okay, now let me tell you about how the inventor and scientist who created the ‘blue’ LED using a metal called gallium nitride, lost his job, despite his amazing discovery. (And, also, why the events at the basketball game had me in such a rut.)

Shuji Nakamura worked for years, growing crystals and spraying alloys, attempting to create a circuit that would light up, like other LEDs, but in the color blue. For years the industry produced various red, yellow and green lights. And they mixed them up and did what they could, as they couldn’t really do everything they saw possible without the ability to create white light. They needed blue to be able to make white, and without it, the LED technology would only be useful on things like medical equipment, stereos and electronic toys, never reaching its possible, and quite outlandish, potential.

But the color blue was elusive. Dr. Nakamura knew that, like him, everyone in the industry was frantically searching for the right material to use and continued to come up short. Nakamura, though, wasn’t looking where they were looking and they had their opinions about it.

The entire science community made fun of him for his “futile” work and no one saw any value in what he was doing. Society had already decided, by majority, that gallium nitride — the metal he was using– was not the right metal to research and named Nakamura a loser for looking into it.

When his boss found out that he was the laughing stock of the tech industry, he was reprimanded. His company scolded him over and over again, but he didn’t listen to them. Over time, he got closer and closer to success with more promising models, better outcomes, leading to more motivation and drive each time. But still no success. His boss told him, again, to shut it down and return to using a more esteemed metal, the one everyone was using, and to stop being an idiot.

But Nakamura broke the rules. He bore in, he pressed harder against the grain. Next experiment! Next mixture! Over and over again, being ridiculed, scolded and judged incompetent.

Then, one day, he succeeded in creating a blue LED light, bright enough for common household use, and blew his colleagues’ minds.

His reward from the company? A measly, hundred and eighty bucks, and eventually, the boot.

The basketball game, today, (last week, remember? I left in a huff…) was so, absolutely quiet. It was painfully quiet. The whole event could have been mistaken for a gathering of kids doing mime class. Except, it was competitive. People were running, and the score was going up, but it seemed like someone hit the mute button. Except for their coach. He was screaming, telling his, 10 year old team members to make noise!

And I totally agreed with the tiny man (who was at most, 5’7″). This was a kids basketball game! No body was having fun! You’re supposed to get loud. And that’s what their coach was trying to yell at them to do; “Wake up! Have some kind of energy!” It’s a fantastic sports tactic… ‘Talk to your teammates.’

At higher levels, it’s not an optional trait. You must make noise on the court, field or, wherever you play, in order to be a well rounded player.

–Ice. Mine was ice.😉

But I’m a loud person, right? I’m good at loud! I was thinking I could help this guy!

But I’ve had difficulty exhibiting tact in the past, and I know this. So does Britt. My mind is fully aware of her and I’s history with volume and I believe I was attempting to ‘see it from her point of view,’ but somehow that went terribly wrong.

So here’s where my head was;

“I should get up and make noise, he won’t get ’em going by himself…” I thought. “I could get up and help.”

“I don’t think she’d like it.” He whispered

“Maybe I should get up.” I continued, “I’m going to get up.”

It took the entire first-half before I convinced myself to step out of the box and have some fun, make noise.

You all know the social standards box, I speak of. It’s the invisible force that kills our lives, even while we are still breathing. It’s full of things like embarrassment, fear, worry, judgement, addiction, religion… Awkward is another word for, ‘prison.’

I started yelling. I really started trying to get them going, cause, that’s what I thought was the right thing to do! It was so uncomfortable, but I started having fun. I was a bit more free from the idea that stepping out of the “normal” was perilous. Then, suddenly, practically immediately, and undetected, the devil was there to rob me of the moment. He took me out and killed the joy I was feeling.

I can’t tell you what happened, cause literally, nothing out of the ordinary happened. No one did anything wrong, whatsoever. She put her hand on my leg.

But, it was a thought! Aaaand instead of ignoring him, again, when I heard satan’s voice… I gave heed to his words. I entertained a dumb idea that my Brittany does not like me, and allowed him to get a foothold.

He said; “Of course, she does not like it!”

And I bit. I got up, and I walked out. Just like that.

I’ve, since, figured out why:

It was cowardice.

Subconsciously, I believe I was looking for an excuse to get out of the fire. I got too hot, and almost as soon as I jumped in, I panicked and fled.

After starting to make a bunch of noise and suddenly having all eyes on me, I began to feel the pressure of standing out. I was on the spot. I was being different. And like I said, it got extremely uncomfortable. I felt the heat. And instead of staying in the fire, pressing through the fake feelings of judgement, rejection, and failure and stepping up to lead… I ran. And what’s worse, I blamed it on my Bride.

Oh Lord! “I am a worm and not a man,” the writer of Psalms 22 laments. It’s one about someone being persecuted. And it’s morbid.

Phrases like verse 7; “all who see me mock me.”

And “all my bones are out of joint” in verse 14.

Also; “they pierce my hands and my feet,” verse 17.

It leads you to see that, this writing is about Jesus. Jesus… had it, rough...

I was on autopilot. Destination: self-preservation.

Autopilot says; “It’s too, hard, flee.”

The Christ-like response; “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.”

Shuji Nakamura had seen enough evidence to believe that gallium nitride was the solution to everyone’s struggle. And though, through years of research and experimentation, he was ridiculed and scolded and reprimanded and even rejected, he ended up succeeding in what no one else could do. He did what he believed was the right thing, against all advice, and in the end, completed the task.

It’s a wild story. The lessons in it are many. But the one I want to point at, is the value of staying in the fire, and going against the grain to accomplish the goal.

Really, it’s about how to “stand out like a sore thumb,” and be okay with it. It’s a shameful thing when we run from a good opportunity to grow. And that uncomfortable feeling of possible rejection is really, really good at causing us to do foolish things.  Like run away, and blame the ones closest to us.

When a whole group you’re with is heading down a path that leads off a cliff, it’s best to change direction. Even if everyone in that group rejects you for your decision. Whatever the reasons be; because you’re “different”, or “blind,” or “immature,” it does, still, remain a wise choice to ignore them. It’s in your best interest. Theirs, as well.

I didn’t want to choose cowardice in my situation, but in choosing self-preservation and giving credence to the lies of the enemy, cowardice was just the outcome.

And it took me out.

We are called to be different. We are told not to conform to those around us. Which means, in real tough times, we’re called to stand out like a sore thumb and take whatever comes our way because of it. To preach the “folly” of the Gospel to a wicked and perverse generation, by leading. As examples.

It means we affect them.

All through the gospels it’s written that everywhere Jesus walked, He healed everyone, everywhere. Jesus was not afraid of leprosy, either. His glory was contagious. He could not house leprosy in the same body as the perfect Spirit of God, and He changed all people, everywhere He went.

He didn’t let them change Him.

He had a purpose, and He followed through.

He was insulted, rejected, threatened, and hurt. Throughout His entire ministry, Jesus saw struggle and pain, but He never once, ran from what He was called to do. He stayed in the fire, and He finished the job.

Your turn.

He’s prepared the way.

God bless you folks. Love you!

-Home-

-About the Author-

-Media-