Tuesday I went to volunteer at the hub like I always do. In the beginning I would only work with one of the ladies there and now I have all kinds of leaders in the church asking me to help them out. Most of the jobs are tedious and time consuming. Some trivial but vital to certain events like todays. I binded booklets for MOB (which stands for Men's Only Business) group meeting. It took forever to bind all 50 book, and they were not thin at all!!!! I got to talk to all the others in their offices, but when their work was too much I was all by myself. I think a lot in normal circumstances let alone when I'm all by myself. I got to thinking about my weekend and how far I've come in the past two years. It's always entertaining to think about your life's journey. I pondered over my first summer at Rainbow Christian Camp where I took on a new path for my life and then my year at school when I befriended two foreign exchange student, then my second summer at Rainbow. All the staff had to be trained lifeguards and we took a course during the summer so when we had groups at the pool anyone of us could guard. I liked to lifeguard, I sat in my chair or sometimes on the water slide depending on how hot it was. I got lots of sun and really didn't have too much work to do at all besides watching kids play and reprimanding the ones who didn't follow the rules. One day, one of the staff had to save a kid who was drowning and it became all the news around the campers and all of the staff. We wanted to know every detail of it, how it happened, how they reacted, what happened next. We acted as though that person was a star! The next time I life guarded I couldn't help but wonder how it would feel if I saved a kid's life, how everyone would be so proud and ask me lots of questions. I craved it, I wanted to see if I had it in me. No one got even close to drowning that day and my thoughts past. The following times I life guarded I started to pick out different swimmers and make scenarios in my head how I'd save them, what my approach would be. Usually they were the smallest ones, the cuter ones, the ones that stole your heart with a single smile. When those swimmers were under water for a second longer than I thought they should be I would stand up getting ready to pounce in the water.. but then their heads would come back up to the surface and they would continue to play. This must sound awful but I small bit of disappointment appeared in my stomach when I didn't get to save anyone. They were small and it would be so easy for me to show off my skills. I was used to life guarding for the younger campers so when I was supposed to lifeguard for different groups I was less comfortable. They were bigger, taller, some had physical disabilities, and I was afraid. Afraid that if one of them went down I would be able to save them, that maybe I too would be pulled down to the bottom of the pool. I had had all the training necessary for any situation and size but still I would watch every single movement of the more complex swimmers praying that with each slight adjustment that they would not drown. I was intimidated by the harder situation.
It was while binding a few of my last booklets that I realized that this was not just a story of life guarding but a story of evangelism.
As Christians we are equipped with what to say to others who do not share our same beliefs. We are confident with others who share the same values. It's easier for us to share our beliefs with others that would be less of a struggle. Or we seek out the ones that appeal to us, the pretty ones, the nice ones, the ones we wish to be like. We look forward to trying and bring a relationship with Christ into their lives, but when the subject is less desirable, a bigger competition, or just more difficult to share your personal faith with we avoid them. We hope that we will not have to go through and explain our beliefs intimidated by our circumstances.
As a life guard you are required to save an swimmer in distress. ANY swimmer, no matter shape, size, height, race, sex, or attitude all of them are humans and you, the life guard, are responsible for them.
As Christians, God calls us to help all his people. Not just the ones who would be easier to help but the lost, the confused and the spiteful. We can not choose who to save and who to not, we are responsible for them all.
Happy Guarding.
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