Get out of the Boat!

This weekend while looking for stuff to use in children's worship for the story of Jesus walking on water, I came across a book titled "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat". I have found myself considering the thought that title conveys quite a bit over the last couple of days. I've also thought a lot about Peter in (and out) of the boat.
We all have dreams of the great things we will do with our lives. But somewhere between the dream and the action we allow fear to stop us and keep us within the confines of our comfort zones. Fear of failure, fear of what others will say, fear of not being as good at it as someone else, fear of the unknown, fear in general.
Like the other disciples in the boat - I can see Jesus - I want to go to him - but I can't overcome my fear enough to take that first step. Can you imagine what the other disciples felt (and said) as they saw Peter put his leg over the side of the boat? I can hear them so easily. "What are you doing? You'll kill yourself! Stop, you're going to tip us over! Stop making us look bad! Why do you always have to try so hard. Look at Peter, grandstanding again!"
It's so easy to be afraid. And like Peter - it's so easy to get distracted and let my fear get the better of me.
Sometimes my fears even result in my trying to stop someone else from stepping out of the boat. The first year Michelle went to Africa, I really struggled with it. I was so afraid of what MIGHT happen to her...and it was a daily struggle to get through. I had to keep reminding myself that I had promised God when she was very small that her life was his to use - not mine to direct.
Sometimes we just need to put "common sense" behind us, quit worrying about getting wet, and sling that leg over the side of the boat. Who knows - the water might feel pretty good.

Christianity is not for adults

Last night while checking in on the discussion topics at various facebook sites I came across one that immediately caught my attention. It was on the "you know you are a church of christ" group on facebook. A young woman was concerned about the appropriateness of her 18 year old cousin being baptized because he has autism.
Since I work with people with mental retardation and autism all the time (and the two are not the same thing) I had to look at her post and respond. Several others had made notes about "talking to the person to see if they really understood what baptism was all about", studying with the person, and so on. While these are not necessarily inappropriate actions - anyone might benefit from such studying and conversations - what struck me was the expectation that the person in question needed to know God and understand God in the same way as they (those without the disability) did. I wondered if any of us could look back at the time of our salvation and say that we really knew and understood what our action and God's intent was. I readily admit that my understanding 15 was different from my understanding at 9 when I was baptized. At fifteen I decided to be re-baptized (is there such a thing?) because I "didn't really know what I was doing before." Now in my forties I look back through my life and see many times when I understood more - and at times , less - than I did then. But I believe that I surrendered to Christ at age 9, and continue to do so today.
Jesus told us to become like little children because such is the kingdom. If that is the case, how can any one consider denying a young person the opportunity to surrender themselves to him? Whether they understand the ins and outs of christianity - I don't know - and I don't think it matters. I know that I have had a number of people with mental retardation minister to me, admonish me, and model Christ to me. I have prayed and waited for death with a woman who knew she was dying and was unafraid because she knew she was going to be with Jesus. She chose the songs for her own funeral - and they were joyful songs of praise to God. She knew that there was a God who was THE power, she knew Jesus was his son and that Jesus loved her, she knew she had "done bad things" and wanted forgiveness, and she had joy in her Lord. If that isn't christianity I don't know what is. It didn't matter that her IQ was that of an 8 -9 year old child. So lets all be children of God's - like her - and forget about being "adults" when it comes to faith.