22 Aug

Too Late for Swimming Lessons?

posted by Daniel Blackaby

My father once posed a troubling question, “Daniel, think it’s time to get a part-time job?” Shrugging lazily I responded, “I think I’ll just skip the menial work and head straight to upper management.” However, a previous childhood experience should have reminded me how unlikely that would be.

It was mid-August as I exited the plane onto Texas soil. My pre-deodorant-wearing four-year-old self quickly erupting into a mini waterfall of sweat. To make matters even more miserable, my family headed straight for my uncle’s marathon wedding rehearsal where I was plopped into a stuffy (but cute!) suit and tie. Whining and complaining the entire two-hour rehearsal, every ounce of fluid in my body gushed through my pores; my poor unfortunate Canadian body ill prepared to handle the furnace of a Texas summer. Stuffed into a tiny car with a broken AC afterwards, I asked myself, Will the misery ever end!?

Then I saw it! Arriving at the reception, a ray of hope at last! Like a heavenly oasis, was an icy cold pool! Giving my parents the slip by the refreshment table, I beelined straight for it.

There I stood, upon the threshold of happiness; the doorway to joy. Excitement overwhelmed me; This will feel sooo good!

Looking left I saw bored kids lazily splashing around with lame toys in the shallow end. Their faces looked miserable as they cried for their mommies.

Looking right I saw, The Deep End! “Big kids” laughing while playing exciting water-games and sipping cool drinks by the poolside.

Angel on Left Shoulder: “Stay in the shallow end…safety is special! Devil on Right Shoulder: “Cool kids swim in deep ends…”

With a running start I leapt… into the deep end! Only then did I wonder if it would possibly be problematic that my closest previous experience to swimming had been in my mother’s womb. Splash!

Hitting the water, I immediately took a six-foot plummet of death. Flailing my body around helplessly, I couldn’t distinguish up from down, or left from right. After only four glorious years, it was all over!

My lungs began to burn; then I felt two hands grab me and yank me from the water. Opening my eyes, I stared into the face of my soon-to-be aunt (HUGE brownie points with her new in-laws!), who had jumped in to save me, fancy clothes and all.

As Christians, it’s so easy to get ahead of ourselves. We dream of doing great things for God and impacting our entire schools or towns. These are noble ambitions and, if we are faithful, God can lead us down those paths. However, we cannot neglect the divine assignments that seem less glamorous or important. God always matches His assignments with our faithfulness (Matt. 25:21).

In the Bible, Joseph was faithful in every assignment God gave him, whether it was watching someone’s household as their slave, or doing chores in a prison. Because of his faithfulness, God ultimately raised him to the right hand of Pharaoh where he saved the lives of many people. What has God been asking you to do lately? Are there any smaller assignments that perhaps you have put off or forgotten?

Filed in: Humility, Journey, Trust