Ahead and Behind

A few years ago I was on a trip in the Caribbean and the surf was pretty solid. We were at a spot known for punishing people caught inside, however as powerful of a wave as it was there’s a wide, deep water channel to help with dodging the shifty sets coming through. On this particular day one of the groms in our crew took a pretty good wipeout and ended up on the inside. Instead of paddling wide to the channel his tried to push through the oncoming sets. I watched as he got pushed closer and closer to the cliffs and waved at him to paddle across to where the channel was. Eventually he figured it out and made it back out, a little more worn out but all good. It reminded me of my first time at that spot, I had paddled out on a day well beyond my ability and spent a good amount of time in the channel watching, the first wave I took that day was also my last. I snapped my board and spent a set or two taking a beating. My friend who was also our surf guide caught a wave and told me how to get out of the situation I was in. The entire time I watched my grom struggle against the surging swell I thought about my first trip and how I was in that exact same spot a few years prior.

I believe God intends us to share our experiences with those following behind us while also calling us to look to those ahead and their knowledge. Whether it’s navigating a new lineup or stepping into a new job, someone around you has probably either been there before or will be in the future. How we work together to help each other walk through life is a reflection of God’s love for his people. God sent his Son to set the example for us to follow, the disciples followed and learned from Jesus, and in turn passed on their knowledge, experiences and most importantly faith down through the generations that followed. Had they not followed Jesus and spent time learning, they would have never been able to teach those after them. Where are you in this tension, do you have one arm reaching up and another down? I believe that’s how we are called to walk through life, being lifted up by those we view as mentors and in turn looking to lift up those around us to follow Jesus. This is what community looks like, this is what discipleship looks like. How engaged are you?

1 Thessalonians 5:11

”Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.“

Photographer: Collin Barbour