I dare to be different

Hello, it’s Friday again so time for another post. It’s been quite a busy, stressful and uncertain week. You only need to have watched the news in the past few days to imagine that! But it’s still another week done and hopefully another week closer to my flight home!

      This Sunday evening I was watching my “I’ll Fight Congress” DVD. One part in particular really struck me. In the Saturday evening meeting the song “I dare to be different” was sung. I have had the song in my head all week, I have also had a go at playing it on my old battered cornet I have out here. (You will all probably be glad I’m thousands of miles away and you have not had to hear that!)

     The song says how we will dare to be different and stand for Christ, even when we are alone. I can relate to that! I'm the only Christian on this ship, and there are often times when I feel very alone. But how often do I really stand for Christ? Now there is a tough question to ask yourself!

       Being a Christian in any situation is hard. But I feel on a ship it is especially hard; on a ship it is like walking on a tightrope. It’s a real tough balancing act. Go too far one way and constantly go on and preach at people, and it will not take long before people just totally ignore you, and not listen to a word you say. But go the other way and people don’t see any difference in you and so don’t see the effect of Jesus in your life.

       I have to admit there have been times on this ship where I have struggled to stay on this tightrope and swung from side to side. To be honest there have probably been a few times when I have fallen off and landed flat on my face as well. But in that situation the most important thing to do is get back up, brush yourself off and get right back up on the rope again!

       One thing I often struggle with is knowing what to say when people are questioning me about my faith. Often people come across as aggressive or micky taking when asking about it. That’s the bit that gets to me; sometimes it throws me, sometimes I know what to say; but often when put unexpectedly on the spot; I don’t.

       Sometimes I beat myself up about this, but then I try to think of the disciple Peter. Peter the rock, the disciple who built the Church. There were times when he really dared to be different, but then there were times when he epically failed. He knew what it was like to walk the tightrope; he also knew what it was like to swing precariously from side to side. He fell a few times, but always got back up again; and just look how God used him.

       That makes me feel better; yes I dare to be different, yes sometimes I fail, but at the end of the day, when I do fail I get back up and try not to make the same mistakes again.

       The song says “I dare”. Doing things daringly is not easy. It’s hard and it’s scary, but sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone to move on in your life. God does not want people who are too scared to step out of their comfort zones. He wants people who are willing to walk the tightrope. He wants people who really do dare to be different.

       So I would say to you try it; take that step out onto the tightrope no matter how scary it will be. Pray about it, God will send his Holy Spirit to strengthen you and enable you. It can be amazing how much God can use you if you are brave enough to take that first step, and if you wobble a little bit or fall off, don’t worry! Just think about how God used Peter; and get back onto that tightrope again!

The Sailing Salvationist