Sail On

I'll never forget that cold, rainy, windy day at camp.  Rumor had it that some sailboats had been donated to the camp.  We never had sailboats before and I assure you, my fellow junior counselors and I were ecstatic.  Our water front director, Bill, was as excited as we were.  Everyone was going in for breakfast when he pulled me aside and asked me if I wanted to learn to sail.  "Right now", I asked.  "Yes, come on.  I'll show you."  So off to the beach we went.  I learned fairly quickly that it didn't matter if it was raining when you went sailing because you were going to get wet anyway.  But it might have been just a tad too windy for my first time out. 
So we arrive at the beach and what do I see but a couple of little tub-like boats with a red sail.  They reminded me of rub-a-dub-dub, but you would never get three men in that tub!  But I was game so Bill with his long tan legs and I crawled into that boat.  It was a disaster!  We couldn't get it to go where we wanted.  We went in circles quite a bit.  Bill was very frustrated and ended up swimming us back to shore.
This tub boat seems to represent to me a new Christian or one that is not in God's Word.  They are trying to sail through life on their own.  The tools are there.  The wind is blowing and you're trying to steer but you just go in circles. I needed instruction and Bill was determined to give me that, if I would be open to it.  Don't circle around in the shallow end of faith.  Experience is the best teacher.  Get into God's Word and see what He can teach you.
The next summer they brought in a Sunfish.  It had all the tools a great sailboat needed. The fun thing about it was, if it tipped over, you just stood on the centerboard and pulled it back up.  It was flat so it was very easy to get back on.   Sort of like when we fall into sin, God forgives, we stand on His promises and get right back into the race of living a spirit filled life.
After several years of sailing experience, I was told one day to take the Directors 26 foot sailing vessel out with a load of children.  This boat was huge.  It had two or three sails and a very big centerboard. I felt unprepared.  It was too much responsibility and I felt unsure.  What if it flipped with all these little crippled children?
Do you feel unprepared to share God's Word or are you just scared?  When the Lord puts an opportunity right in your path, what do you do?  Whatever our faith says God is, He will be.
The more we're in the Word the more prepared we will be to fight Satan, the more prepared you will be to make wise choices, the more prepared you will be to share His Word, and the more prepared you will be to handle tragedy in your life. Share what you know.
So I took those children out in that boat and we had a great time.  I gained from that experience and I hope they did too.