Tip #34: Grab the Lifesaver!
I shared this story with the FCA Huddle at my school last Friday. Imagine, for a minute, that you’re on a family cruise to the Bahamas. You’re just cruisin’ away when all of a sudden, you have that Lio DiCaprio moment from Titanic (you know how he gets up on the bow of the ship and yells “I’m the king of the world!!!”). So you jump up on the bow of the ship and yell “I’m the king of the world” but because you don't realize you stepped in some water before you got up on the bow, your foot slips off the railing and you fall overboard. To make things worse, you don’t know how to swim and let’s also say it’s about midnight. Uh, big problem right? There you are, doggy paddling as best you can to tread water. You're trying to stay afloat and at the same time you’re yelling “help… help… I can’t swim!!!” Just when you’ve lost all energy and inhaled what seems like gallons of salt water, someone from above throws you a lifesaver. You grab onto the lifesaver with the ounce of energy you have left and you’re hoisted up on deck. Your life is saved. You may have experienced times in life where you felt like you’ve “fallen overboard” (and if you haven’t, I don’t mean to scare you, but you will). You may be “drowning” in the cares of life. Your parents may have divorced, you may have lost friends or loved ones, you may have chosen the wrong group of friends, you may have traveled down the wrong path, or you may have made some terrible decisions. The good news is that you have “lifesavers” around you. Trusted adults, good friends, teachers, and other people are there for you to grab onto. They are there to rescue you and to help you "live". As we enter the Christmas season, I’m here to remind you that the Christmas story is more than a fairy tale. It’s more than presents under a tree, more than carolers singing, hot chocolate, and Santa Claus. The joy of Christmas is about knowing that God sent the ultimate “lifesaver” in the form of His son Jesus to meet you at your point of need. He entered this world to help you keep from drowning because sometimes having good friends, family, and trusted adults aren’t enough. Being a devout Christian for nearly 27 years, I can say that I have known the power of Christ as a “lifesaver” for real! My prayer is that this Christmas you will experience Christ’s love in a way that will change your life. I also pray that your New Year is blessed and prosperous.
Written 12/22/2013 by John Weaver