Diving Board

You’re climbing to the top of that really big diving board at the community pool. All of your friends are there, but you could care less about whether they see you jump or not because your biggest concern is what you’re going to do when you jump. Sure, you need to consider a few things first, like whether you are capable of the jump you will attempt. A triple flip is probably outside your means, even though you could go for it. So you know that you need to stay within your means to avoid certain failure and pain. However, you certainly don’t want to be that lame kid that just runs off the board without attempting anything. Sure, if he enjoys what he’s doing, good for him, but you were meant for more! You’ve already done five dives today, a cannonball, and a can opener. You don’t need to make a big splash, because it’s not about that anymore. You want to do something special, something graceful, not a dive again. You want this to be impressive, even to yourself. You want to push your own boundaries and take a little risk, knowing that if you give it your all, you can do something spectacular. So what do you do?

This is where I am at in my life now. I have been climbing the ladder. I’m not trying to impress others anymore. Although, let’s be honest, I always appreciate affirmation in my abilities. I don’t care about the splash I make, but I still want to make an impact. I want to do something special, something I was designed to do. I don’t need to be better than everyone. My best is enough, and only my best is enough. So I’ve already spent a little time showing off, or trying to anyway. I’ve already flopped a couple times when I did something I wasn’t meant to do. I also know what I don’t want to do again. So what do I do?

I think I’m ready to take the jump. There is still some risk for me, though, because there is a possibility that I might flop again if I make a mistake. Sure, I know that God will catch me, but it doesn’t mean it won’t sting a bit. Plus, I’ll have to spend all that effort and time climbing the ladder again. So, I’m asking God what’s next. It’s like when you get up on the diving board as a kid and ask your mom, who always watches your jumps and tricks no matter what they look like, what jump you should do. Of course, I’m repeating God’s name and my question. I hope he answers soon. I’m confident He will. He always does and will always watch me every time I jump. He just cares about what I do. I really love and appreciate that about Him.