Random Drowning Thought

Someone is drowning! what do you do?

Throw them a life preserver?

Jump in after them?

My knee jerk response to this random question would be "BOTH"!! -- But as always my mind begins to wander. (caution -- being in my mind is not a safe place at times -- jk)

Now the hard questions are asked. You know?!? the what if's of life that make Black and White turn into Grey.

Would our reaction change if the person drowning was different?

Stranger, Friend, Enemy, Child, or Spouse...

The hope here is that we would react the same for each one of them. Nevertheless the urgency and desperation would feel different. Maybe few people would admit if it were a stranger or someone we didn't like that maybe we would hesitate. Silently that someone else would come to the rescue.

Here's another what if... What if we didn't know how to swim? Would our response change in comparison to someone that does know how to swim? These random questions are necessary to ask.

The truth is that it wouldn't matter if I knew how to swim or lost my life for someone I love. I would jump in and trust the life preserver would save us both.

When I was in High School I remember the purpose of wrestling practice. The coach drilled into us every move. We practiced slow, fast, alone and with others. He wanted us to know those moves better than we know ourselves. He was teaching us to counter and react for every move the opponent would make. There was no doubt. If the our opponent would try to take us down by our legs ... our body would naturally sprawl out and counter.

This is the very reason why these questions need to be asked. We need to practice and know what our response would be if we came across someone who was dying -- regardless of who they are.

Another random thought crosses my mind now. Are we aware of how many people are drowning around us? The urgency may be different but the result is still death.

There are people drowning; hurting, struggling, hopeless and helpless...

Anyone willing to jump and let Jesus be the Life Preserver?

People really don't care how much we know until they know how much we care!

Randomness of being convinced

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

How random is being convinced? I mean to be really convinced. To know without a single doubt that something is absolutely true.

I sometimes think that I would be the only person that would admit that there are something’s that I know are true but still hope for. I know that faith "is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Heb 11:1). It's being sure of hope and certain of what is not seen! That's why it's called Faith; because if you could see it, it would be called FACT.

The writer of Romans (Paul) had to go through a process of being convinced. This gives the impression that there was a move from faith to fact. If we studied the life of Paul we would see that he lived a life convinced of this fact.

So I have to wonder in the randomness of being convinced. How would we respond or even act if we were convinced [fact] about God's love for us?

The random thought crossed my mind that some might just go on and do whatever it is that they wanted [sin], like a spoiled teenager. But I'm not sure about that. I don't think our teenagers are completely convinced how much and how we love them. If they really knew we wanted the best for them and were trying to protect them and want to see them grow into God’s best for them; how would they respond. Some teenagers have convinced themselves that they know best and all we want to do is control them. I wonder if God sees us the same way?

I believe that our response should be different if we were convinced, truly convinced. Walking convinced of God's Love makes us confident that no matter what comes my way I will not be separated from His Love. That type of love then should motivates us to love others no matter how they feel or think of us. Now that is powerful!

How would truly believing God Loves you -- no matter what -- change your thoughts and actions in the next 24 hours?

Would you take a risk and pray for someone, in public or at work?
Would you invite someone to church?
Would you stop and help someone?
What would you risk?