Wading in the shallows.

I don’t really like getting wet. I’m not the first one to dive in. I prefer to wade in the shallow water, take in the beauty of the waves and sunbeams on the water and just to be dry and shallow. Its safe and warm and brings me all the comfort!

It’s interesting that I was one of the first ones to jump in the waterfall. I had no hesitation. I knew I was going there to GO IN! It was cool and refreshing and I would have stayed there until every person had an opportunity to step under the fresh water with a friend. Everyone was welcome and if you needed a friend, I would be there:)

Let me try to flip this on you and explain that I’m actually a dive in the deep end and tread water for as long as it takes person, when it comes to relationship. As long as I can remember I’ve been an “in it for the long haul” discipler. I go deep, I’m willing to persevere through any challenge and all the years and no matter how cold or deep or long it is, I’m in! In contrast with real water, I’m not a wader. I don’t really mill around and have superficial conversation or even enjoy meeting new people. I’ve just always had a deep pupose to my relationships and chit-chat isn’t one of those.

I’ll take a moment and appologize for the intensity and weight that I must bring to those in releationship with me. I can see that I may be a bit much or even a bit snobby when it comes to my participation in this connection we have but I’m learning some new things and you’ll probably benefit from it! Be patient with me:) HA! God is doing a new thing, do you not perceive it?

Ya, so I dive deep….but here is the thing with short term missions. Yes, there is the deep, BUT you have to start in the shallows and you have to be willing to spend only a brief moment in the deep. Like, it may not be really refreshing and it may leave you feeling like you didn’t accomplish much, while accomplishing EVERYTHING at the same time. You don’t have a choice in the matter. If you’re a deep diver, you get dropped off on the outskirts of the swimming hole, you need to find your own way using charades (if they don’t speak your language), you have to overcome obstacles, you get to be excited about the view and what could take place but you may not be able to dive in to the swim hole. You may see others jump in and you may see some of them be rescued. You may help others to jump in but you aren’t the one to show them how to swim, you have to entrust them to others and your deep deep desire to tread water and persevere will not be given an opportunity to be endulged. But you’ll walk in the shallows and in God’s economy you will find GREAT REWARD.

Here is the thing God is teaching me…its ok and even part of who He made me to be, to walk in the shallows. He has purpose in the small talk, greatness will come from the wading around and its no less important then diving deep. As a mater of fact it may very well be the MOST important thing to the new believer or the intorvert or the new visitor at church or the sweet Slovene youth.

I am not yet comfortable with this, I actually don’t even know what to do with it but I believe it is good and right and exactly what God has for me right now. So, what do you do with a shift from deep diving pereseverence to being content just dipping your toe in, and not just being content but finidng fulfillment there?

You say “What ever you have for me Lord, So Be It, Lets Do it”! When you don’t see a way to get to the edge and jump in to tread water with someone, you find the courage to just dip your toe in, wade around in the shallows and see who might be found!

To God Be The Glory!