8 - Free Advice

Day 8: A Piece of Advice You Have for Others... Anything at All.

"There are more lifeguards than sharks."

I knew what he meant as soon as I read that sentence, and this was one of my favorite sections in Donald Miller's new book, Scary Close. 

His point was that even though some people are indeed sharks (only in relationships for what they get out of them, never letting their guard down enough to really let anyone in), intimacy is still worth the risk of diving in. He said that forming close relationships and being willing to trust people and really connect with them keeps your spirit gentle and healthy -- it's a risk because there are sharks in the world who will attack as soon as you get too close. But there are also "lifeguard" friends who truly care about you and want to help you. And the clear implication was that if you let the sharks cause you to distrust everyone around you, then you run the risk of becoming harsh and being a shark yourself. 

It made me think. Both lifeguards and sharks would rush toward someone who was bleeding... one coming in for the attack, the other rushing to help rescue them. On an epic scale, it's a perfect picture of how Satan and Christ handle broken people. And on a smaller scale, it applies pretty directly to my own relationships and how different friends have treated me at my worst moments. And he's right... a shark attack can be crippling, but there are more lifeguards than sharks. I'm so thankful for my lifeguard friends! And I think you get better at telling the difference and choosing safer waters as you go along.

So that's my random advice today -- If you're hurting after a betrayal, do your best to believe there are more lifeguards than sharks in the world. And if you're healthy, then choose to dive in and get close enough to help other people.  Be a lifeguard, not a shark! :)