Get Out Of The Shallow End

I've only ever had one near death experience.

As an almost twenty five year old woman, I consider that a pretty good record.

But of course, as many of them do, this experience resulted from the fact that I'm stubborn,

And want to do what I want to do when I want to do it,

And I tend to think that I'm better at things then I sometimes am.

I was five.

And we were at a neighbors pool.

And I had on my gold sequined bathing suit, complete with green frog floaters on each chubby bicep.

My Mom and Dad had told me specifically to not go into the deep end.

They explained where the line was,

where the pool slowly started to shift from shallow, safe water,

to deep, head covering, scary water.

I understood the directions.

I knew the risks.

But then, something just looked better.

My brothers super soaker slowly floated farther, and farther away, down into the deep end.

And although I knew that I wasn't supposed to,

I really wanted that piece of plastic treasure.

So, I jumped.

And those green frog floaties were not ready to withstand the force of a chunky five year old with her eye on a water gun.

I sunk.

And suddenly,

everywhere I turned,

there was water.

Above my head,

below my feet,

in front,

behind,

to my left,

to my right.

I was completely immersed.

I was no longer in the safety of the shallow end, where I could merely dip my feet in, or walk up to my waist if I was afraid of getting wet.

Now, there was really no turning back.

Sometimes I think that we look at loving others in the same way that we look at a swimming pool.

There are two sides.

Shallow and safe love,

or deep, completely head covering, scary love.

Shallow love is easy.

It takes no commitment.

Get in a fight?

Simply walk to the side and get out.

Someone does something that hurts your feelings?

No problem.

You weren't completely invested anyway.

You didn't even get your hair wet.

The shallow end of love is safe. You're able to walk away anytime.

But it's when you take your relationships to that deep end,

where you're completely submerged,

and vulnerable,

and open,

that it gets scary.

And it gets real.

Tonight, when I was reading 1st Peter, Peter was trying to instruct the church on how to truly live for God.

And when it come to relationships with each other, he was very clear about what kind of love we were supposed to give.

8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Deep is defined as " penetrating to a depth; extending from back to front, side to side, and top to bottom"

We weren't called to love when it's easy.

We weren't called to love when it fits our schedule.

We aren't called to love on a surface level.

We're called to love when it's hard,

We're called to love when times get tough,

And we're called to break past the shallow conversations of day to day life,

And really get to the nitty gritty,

Where the real important parts of life lives.

We are called to love through and through,

Not just the part of each other that we like,

Not just the part that we can make time for between work and going to the gym.

We are called to love each other from back to front, side to side, and top to bottom.

Penetrating to a depth.

Sometimes the deep end is scary.

And sometimes it's easier to just stay in the shallow end.

But the deep end is where true loving, and true living begins.

And those of you who were worried, have no fear.

I was pulled out the pool.

But not before I got to experience the thrill that comes from taking that plunge into the deep end.