A New Year's Message - We're All On a Boat
I want you to imagine you’re in a boat. But you’re alone in the boat. Your boat can be any sea-worthy vessel.
What’s your boat like? Is it a big comfy yacht? Is it a wooden rowboat? Or maybe it’s something in the middle, like a pontoon? (I think mine is a cute, bright orange ocean kayak. I don’t know why. It just is.)
It doesn’t matter, but imagine what yours is.
So you’re on a boat alone in the water, and the water is a little choppy. It’s not terrible, but the water’s not mirror-smooth either.
You look up from your boat and you suddenly realize that there are other women, alone, in their boats all around you in the semi-choppy water.
Their boats all look different than yours. Some are luxurious cabin cruisers. Some are painted row boats. Some are old wooden, vintage sailboats. But each boat just has one woman on it, alone, in the water with you.
And as boats sometimes do, there are a few boats that are taking on water. You can tell even from the vantage point of your own boat.
Some of the boats are taking on a little water – maybe they just have a little hole in the bottom of their vessel. Other boats are almost completely underwater. You can really tell that water is gushing into their boat – the boat that they’re sitting in all alone. There’s no correlation as to whether the boat looks old, new, luxurious, or rickety and whether it’s in distress or not. It seems random.
But for some reason, some boats are taking on water.
Then you check to see if you’re taking on water or floating with no problems.
What’s your boat doing? Do you have water coming into your boat? Or are you okay?
One Sunday, years ago, I came home from church and told my husband that I didn’t feel like I fit in at our church. It was a wonderful and welcoming church, mind you. The people were so kind there. But I told him that it seemed like church was full of broken and hurting people. It seemed like the pastor was talking just to them. Quite frankly, I didn’t feel broken or hurting at that particular point in my life.
“Am I not supposed to be there?” I asked him.
My wise hubs kindly reminded me that maybe I wasn’t there because I was broken or hurting, but because others were. (Genius response, by the way.) What he was saying was that our uneventful, “boring” lives can be blessings to others. When we have margin in our lives, it allows us time and space to love others.
What if each of our lives are like one of those boats. Some of our boats (or lives) are sinking and some of them are doing just fine. If you find yourself on a boat doing perfectly fine, that’s great! It truly is. You should not feel guilty about that.
But is your boat near someone else’s boat that’s taking on water?
Can you help them? Can you throw them a line? Or a bucket? It doesn’t matter if your floating boat is smaller than their sinking boat.
They are sinking and you are not.
Can you jump aboard their boat briefly to help bail water out or plug holes? Maybe you can’t – and that’s okay too. Can you just relay words of encouragement to them so they don’t feel so alone? Hey, Friend! I see you! You’re not alone! You’re doing great! Hang in there!
There’s probably something you can do.
Or maybe…yours is the boat that’s taking on water. I bet it feels really frustrating to watch all those damn floating boats around you. Maybe, you’re very good at pretending like your boat isn’t taking on water. Maybe if you smile and wave happily from your boat enough, no one will notice the water pouring in.
Has anyone else asked you if you need help bailing water or plugging holes? Did you gladly accept or tell them “No, I’m fine! Thanks though!”, and you kept the smiling-waving shtick going. But you really weren’t “fine”, and you do need help?
They want to help you. A lot. They see you.
We’re all on a boat. Take stock of how your boat is doing and how those around you are doing.
Throw out a line.
Or ask for help.
Do whichever you feel called to do.
We’re all on a boat. Together. You’re never alone.
May 2021 be a year of your boat staying afloat and helping others do the same.
Happy New Year, Friends.
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