Missed the Boat

Here it comes, tall and beautiful and romantic. The boat that promises an adventure of a lifetime. Smelling of exotic spices and warm breezes. The travelers on this boat show joy for the journey they are on, almost inviting you to join them just by their enthusiasm and contentment.


Do you even wonder if you should have climbed aboard? Let go of the fear of the unknown, the safety of the shore, the predictability of life on land? Would you be a different person? Lived in another place? Had different priorities?


Not that all boats are what they seem. Though you may think you know the destination, sailors get lost at sea. Weather can mean a detour, even an alternate end point. If you do ultimately arrive, the storms along the route can leave you feeling worn, washed up, adrift. You could get sea sick, sunburnt, or harmed by the dangers of the sea.


So why go at all?


Watching life from the shore is beautiful. The waves crash against the shore, but never overwhelm you. Boats come and boats go -- some boats you've seen more than once. They will come again. Maybe when you're ready, you can go. Maybe when you've got more money, more time, more courage.


Maybe. . .


Maybe that boat is stopping here today, just to have you aboard. Maybe the people you will meet, or the experience you have on this particular trip will give you the passion you've always wanted in life. Maybe you just need a change of pace, space and perspective that can only come from the boat. Maybe all that trouble is worth it.


So how do you choose?


When the boat arrives, all is anticipation, newness, adventure. the boat's looks can be deceiving. When the boat leaves you behind, you feel, if just for a moment, regret that you are not aboard. Discernment is knowing which boat to get on and when, and how to let the boat pass you by without despair.

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.  Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”  And they left their nets at once and followed him.

A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too.  They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.                                             Matthew 4: 18-21