As promised, as part of the revival of Inspirement, I am resharing the most popular post of 2022 - “I’ve Got Your Six.” This post was viewed 610 times, commented on 18 times, and “loved” 8 times. Take a read and see why!
If someone you know ever says, “I've Got Your 6,” consider yourself fortunate. The phrase was reportedly coined during World War I by American fighter pilots as a way of telling fellow pilots, “I’ve got your back,” while covering their rear position on flight missions.
Visualize a clock face. You are at the twelve spot and your loyal friend or family member is at six, ready to warn you about, or protect you from, a sneak attack from the enemy. Your “six” would step into harm’s way to keep you safe. Your “six” might even defeat your foe before you even knew a threat existed and then never mention how close you were to peril.
Having a selfless and devoted “six” is priceless. But even the most well-intentioned “sixes” are limited by their humanness. By design, human beings are imperfect, flawed creations who make mistakes, cause accidents, or just act out for no good reason. These characteristics find expression in the “sixes” who want to have our backs whenever and however we need them to, but inherently cannot.
Thankfully, I discovered I have “sixes” unhampered by the limitations we face as mortals, enabling them to be unfailing in their mission. I call them angels.
Anyone familiar with the Book of Psalms might recall the passage of scripture that promises the Lord “will command his angels concerning [us] to guard [us] in all [our] ways; they will lift [us] up in their hands, so that [we] will not strike [our] foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12 NIV).
As often as I had read these verses in my lifetime, I never appreciated their significance more than the time I narrowly escaped a vehicular tragedy. While driving home late one night on a local highway, a huge rock crashed into my windshield as I approached an overpass. In my panic, I veered towards the side of the road, yet unsure what had shattered the glass. Was it a bullet? Was I hurt? My mind raced as fast as the cars around me. Despite the amount of traffic on the road that night, I was able to reach the shoulder safely and bring my car to a stop. When I looked in my rear-view mirror, I saw three or four other cars pulling over behind me. They had also been victims of the rock thrower, who turned out to be a young kid oblivious to the lives he had endangered with his antics.
While I waited for the police to arrive, I called my best friend, an ordained preacher in the Baptist faith, because I needed prayer! “Rev,” as we call her, quoted the angel verses from Psalm 91, explaining that the protection of my angels, not chance or luck, had spared me a worse fate. Since that day, I openly credit my angels for the big and small ways they impact my life. Every day I express gratitude for my angel moments, which are the countless ways my angels comfort, guide and protect me.
Angel moments are not always as spectacular as my highway experience. Sometimes, they are as simple as finding a lost item after unsuccessfully looking for it everywhere -- twice. Or not knowing how to approach a hopeless situation in one moment, but having a solution become vividly clear in the next. Angel moments also show up as people or opportunities that dramatically improve our lives or circumstances. An angel moment can even be disguised as a dear friend sending you red velvet cupcakes during your recovery from an illness or medical procedure because she knows they are your favorite.
I love angel moments. They remind me that I am never alone and need not fear the uncertainty of the world. Why? Because my angels always have my six.
We all have angel moments. What are examples of yours? Let me know in the comments below and share this post with a friend.
Psalm 91 still speaks! I've got your six too! Love you!!!!
---Rev
Love this Twin! I have heard this saying many times, especially when I was a 911 Dispatcher. One of my sixes showed up when I was in an apartment fire right after COVID spread. My nephew just happened to step out on the balcony and saw the fire start from a neighbor's grill on his own balcony. "The building's on fire," my nephew yelled. We all got out safely!