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.