I got to take part in a meeting the other day that absolutely thrilled me to death. In my job I get to talk with all sorts of people – teens, college students, folks in their 20’s, singles, marrieds, parents, grandparents – it’s all over the board and I dig it. I’ve been able to talk with folks about their passion for God, their struggles in life, their issues with family members, good things and not so good things. This is the thing I realized – I get to walk along side a lot of really cool people.
I used to describe myself as a River Guide. When I was 15, I went down the Ocoee River for the first time. I was terrified! My cousin Jack (who’s more of a brother to me) and our friend George signed up and went down together. Now, all 3 of us were from Florida and all 3 of us were really strong swimmers, but we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Our Guide was a dude who’d been doing this stuff for a long time and he knew we were newbies. He said, “listen to me and all will be good.” We did. And we made it through, but not without him screwing with us a little bit.
At one point in the river, he said everyone lean left and as he instructed we did and as we did we flew out of the boat! He thought it was hillarious and looking back it had to have been funny. 3 teenage guys flung out of our raft like we were the little G.I. Joe’s that we used to play with. Apparentely he had warned his fellow river guides, because as I was floating down the river I saw a lifeline thrown to me, which I grabbed and pulled myself to shore with. However, his little joke had an affect on us. We still had 1 final rapid to go and we were hesitant to listen to him. He told us that all joking aside this last rapid would take a lot from us – so pay attention and dig in when told to do so.
Well, we eventually made it through the rapids but not without a little hesitation. Our guide helped us all the way down – we laughed and we listened and we talked about life on the river. That is what I get to do. I get in the boat with folks and together we go down a river. Now, i’m no expert on what’s coming like my occoee guide – I’m just jumping and rowing with folks.
This meeting I was in reminded me of all this. I don’t have all the answers for this family. I don’t have all the answers for the area of ministry I’m in charge of, but I have a river guide who does. Because I’m trusting Him, I can jump in with others and together we can navigate the waters of our lives. I think that’s pretty cool and I think that’s what we all have the ability to do. Jesus never called us to be loners on the walk of faith. He called us to a community – a big boat that we can all be a part of. Of course the challenge is trusting that the guides we’re given won’t fling us out of the boat. But the good news is that even when that happens – much like my trip down the Occoee there’s a life line waiting for me.
May we all trust our guide, jump in the boat and share what the river brings us together.
I always wanted to be a River Guide and today I get that chance.