Giving It Away

Isaiah 6:8 – Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Who should I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me. (CSB)

I was doing knee exercises in the open section of the community pool where anything goes. So, I didn't think it odd that a young woman would be making her way hand over hand along the pool edge towards me, fiercely intent on getting to the deep water where I was. I said, "Good morning!" Startled, she looked up, lost her grip, and slipped silently, without thrashing, straight to the bottom of the pool. Fortunately, we were right under the lifeguard's chair as I bellowed for help. In a second, the guard was diving down beside me and back up, cradling the oddly protesting girl in her arms. Had she not wanted to be rescued? Left to drown?

"Please, please, I have to keep going," the girl begged in heavily accented English as the lifeguard stood up and released her. CPR was obviously unnecessary. As we regulars gathered around, her story came out. She had been accepted to start cadet training at the Military College. It was fall, so classes would be starting soon. But she'd discovered that they expected her to be a swimmer. So, panicked, she'd come down there to try and teach herself to swim. But it wasn't working. She needed help.

Immediately, the retirees, with time on their hands, began discussing their schedules, each one promising to do whatever it took to get her swimming without the risk of drowning on her own. "I thought maybe if I just threw myself in the water, swimming would come naturally," she explained, once she'd been sat down and provided with something to drink. Everyone laughed and talked to her like old friends. The lessons they gave would and did straighten out her situation.

All around us every day, there are people living without God who are drowning in fear, anxiety, stress, despair, and hopelessness. Those of us whom God has rescued through His Word have the opportunity and privilege each day of sharing the joy and freedom of the Christian life with others. In fact, we must. We cannot keep it unless we give it away. Finding a regular place to share our spiritual life is a matter of faith. The rescue of one drowning soul strengthens our resolve to reach out to others whom we may encounter. St. Francis prayed, Make me a channel of Your peace. Wherever we are, may the message of forgiveness, hope, grace, and love go, too.

1 Corinthians 9:22 – To those who are weak, I became weak so that I could help save them. I have become all things to all people. I did this so that I could save people in any way possible. (ERV)

Prayer: Dear merciful heavenly Father, help us to take every opportunity to share our faith. Thank You for helping us to demonstrate the way out through Your grace, so that others may experience the joy of rescue, hope, and peace. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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