Dead Body Checks

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

-1 Corinthians 10:31-33

At the pool, we have a new boss who expects us to sit in the lifeguard stand during our guard shifts. We used to be able to stand by the side of the pool or walk laps, but now we have to sit in the chair with our feet flat on the stand. Every fifteen minutes, we have to do a "walk about" which just means that we get down from the chair, walk a lap around the pool to check the parts of the water we can't see well from the stand, and then get back up in the chair to scan the pool some more. These "walk about" laps have jokingly become called "dead body checks."

My thoughts often turn to God when I guard. I have to scan the pool and keep the patrons safe, but I have a lot of time to fill my head with thoughts that I don't always have the most time to think about. I can pray silently, sing to God along with the radio, or just sit and contemplate life. Every fifteen minutes, the time comes to get down, take a walk around the pool, and then to get back up into the chair. It's my opportunity to check the spots that I haven't been able to see due to the glares and shadows. If I've been scanning, I know that I have nothing to worry about. There aren't really any dead bodies down there.

I wondered today, though, "What if I have dead parts in my life that I never do a walk about to check on?" There are so many parts of my life that I let hide in shadows. I think to myself, "If no one can see the problems, then they aren't there," and I just let them hide in the darkness inside of me.

Then there are the parts of my life that I hide using glares. I think, "I'm a light to my community because I do this and this and this." I can show those parts of my life off to hide the bad parts and make myself seem better than I really am.

I can trick myself and others into thinking that I'm great. I'm sitting up in that chair. I'm doing what I'm supposed to to look like a really good lifeguard. Other people think I've got my life together.

But God doesn't see what other people see. God sees everything. There are no shadows in God and there are no glares. God knows what's in my mind and what's in my heart. God knows all of the things that I've done wrong and all of the things that I've done right.

I know that God sent His son to die for my sins upon the cross. He died so that I wouldn't have to hide my wrongs or attempt to show off the things that I've done right. As long as I love God and believe that Jesus died for me, my sins are covered. I have to do a "dead body checks" to think about my actions and to repent, but the great thing is that God is always there to love us and to forgive us.

When I do my "dead body check" and see what parts of me are dead, I can fix it. I want to do everything for the glory of God and not for the glory of Katie. If I choose actions that glorify God, I'm not acting for my own good, but for the good of many, and that's something that never has to be hidden in shadows or covered by glares. It's not always the easiest to do, but I know God is for me.

God Doesn't Even Need Pixie Dust!

And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

-Matthew 6:30

I grew up surrounded by Disney. I may be 21, but I adore the Tinker Bell movies. In the first movie, Tinker Bell is born and she's given her talent. She's a tinker fairy, but she doesn't want to be. She tries to do all of the other fairy jobs, like the water fairy, light fairy, and flower fairy, and fails miserably because she's just plain meant to be a tinker. She messes everything up and spring won't be able to arrive on time. In the end, she realizes that her gift is special and she can help spring to arrive on time. 


Fairies are hard working little creatures. They have to paint the butterflies and bees, teach the baby birds to fly, put dew drops on the spider webs, and help the flowers to bloom. If they didn't get their work accomplished, there would be no spring because things just wouldn't be ready.


Now, I may not be too old to watch Tinker Bell, but I am old enough to know that there aren't *really* fairies who do all of the behind-the-scenes work to make spring arrive. That's God's job! God orchestrates the universe. He created the process that makes wiggly little caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies. He created the birds that fly through the air and the fish who swim in the water. He even created you and made your body function the way it does. The only reason we have imaginations to create fairies, eyes to see movies about fairies, and ears to hear stories about fairies is because God created them!

God made the universe as it pleased Him. He made us to please Him as well. Isn't it wonderful to think that God created the things that we find so beautiful like mountains, flowers, streams, and butterflies...and he also made us to be so beautiful for Him!  

Whenever I see a wildflower, I think of it as a reminder that God created me to be a beautiful servant for Him, and that He will always be there to care for me just like He cares for the wildflower. God loved me enough to send His son into the world. He cared about me enough that He died for me on the cross so that as long as I know Him, I'll never know death.  God is SO good and loves us SO much.

Just like when fairies are given their talents, we know that God has a plan for us. Have faith in your talents and God will provide. God will always take care of you, just like he takes care of the beautiful things we love to marvel at. 

Lifeguard

I sat in the lifeguard chair, high above the pool. I scanned back and forth. Back and forth. The little boy was bouncing up and down off of the bottom of the pool. I asked if he could swim. He said yes. I asked if he was sure. He said yes. I told him that he should go to the shallow end of the pool. He told me he was fine. I told him he didn't look fine. He went to the shallow end.


Five minutes later, sure enough, there's the kid a few feet away from where he was before bouncing off the bottom of the pool. This time he wasn't fine. I jumped in. I took him to the side of the pool. I helped him climb out of the water. He was embarrassed, but fine.


Ten minutes later, I was back in the chair. I was still scanning back and forth. Back and forth. Sure enough, the boy is back in the deep end. All I could think was, "You've GOT to be kidding me! I just jumped in to rescue you and now you're back in the deep end? Do you *want* to drown?" I told him to get back to the shallow end.


The next few times, I wasn't so patient. I was downright mean. Why wouldn't he just stay down in the shallow end where he was safe? Why did he need to play in the deep end of the pool?


I was driving home from work, unhappy about my save and very cold and wet. Suddenly I realized something. I thought to myself, "Wow. I am *just* like that little boy."


See, here's how this works in my life. I know that the shallow end is safe, but there might be something more fun in the deep end. There might be something I'm missing. I start to walk, but it gets too deep. Then I start to bounce. I start to think, "I'm fine. I can still bounce up and get a breath." All is going well. I can justify my choice. Then the water is above my head. I can't find the air anymore. I need God to jump in and save me because I surely can't save myself. 


But see, we're lucky. God loved us enough to send a lifeguard. He gave us Jesus who hung so that we could have eternal life in Heaven. 


As a young adult, it's hard to stay in the shallow end. It's hard to stop justifying sins. It's hard to trust in God's plan for me, no matter how amazing the plan may be. It's easy to bounce along the bottom, not quite safe, but not drowning either. 1 Timothy 4:10-12 says,

"That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."

God loves us. He's watching out for us. He's scanning our lives and is ready to save us whenever we're brave enough to admit that we need His help. I need His help every single day. I am so grateful for Jesus who rescued me from death and who is with me every second of every day to support me and remind me to stay in the shallow end.