Articles
Grow As We Go
Sometime when you are looking for free entertainment, sit at a public boat ramp on Saturday morning from about 9-11am.
The serious fishermen have for the most part already launched their boats, but they aren’t the ones you came to see. It’s the new and inexperienced boat owners that you want to watch. Many have no experience in backing a trailer and watching them can be hilarious. Meanwhile, watch the people watching the new boat owners, as their initial laughter turns to frustration as they ‘patiently’ wait their turn on the ramp. Meanwhile you may see a few of these too, people who drive all the way to the lake and now have their trailer in the water while they search for the key to the boat, sometimes to realize they don’t have it as they winch the boat back on the trailer and drive away.
Then you have the ones who take off, and return to the dock in 3-5 minutes, hopping overboard and standing in the water to put in the plug they forgot. You may see a few trying to get the kids jackets on and seated so they can leave. I promise if you stay awhile, you will see someone whose boat won’t start, and over the course of an hour, several ‘boat engine shade tree mechanics” will offer their input. In some of these cases it’s a forgetful person who didn’t get gas, or forgot to connect the tank. And finally, watching people back empty boat trailers who don’t have any experience is even more entertaining because they can see the boat when backing to launch, but can’t see the empty trailer until its already moving the wrong way and they have to pull forward and try again. If they are lucky, someone will have mercy on them and offer to back it for them.
If you have watched this unfold, you know it's humorous especially if you were once that guy or that family. I was, and have done all of the above, but as time went on and I made these mistakes, I got to where I could back on one try, always had a spare key, the kids grew up, and I had sense enough to get off the lake before the wind was too strong.
In our Christian walk, we may be green, still wet behind the ears so to speak and just starting to learn and experience life as a child of God. We may be somewhat proficient, with some wisdom from life, but still pretty inexperienced at many things. Or perhaps we are the early guys who launch in one attempt, all the mechanics of the boat work, and when we come back on a windy afternoon, we make it look easy getting the boat onto the trailer first try. Even those guys aren’t problem free, but they don’t make rookie mistakes anymore.
God knows everybody is somewhere on that line, a new convert, one with some time and experience under their belt, or those who have been walking with Him a long time. He is patient, forgiving, a good listener to prayer, and faithful in helping. Meanwhile, He has us all in a family that has some people who have lots of life’s experiences that can help teach and guide those who don’t.
Today, if you need some help with life’s problems (spiritual or otherwise) like those people who can’t back their boat trailer, look around in God’s family and find those with some or a lot of gray hair, and ask for help, no matter what the problem is. I assure you, your older brothers and sisters, whether older by age or more mature as a child of God, are willing to help.
