No Choice

Click on the photo to see
the dog on the paddle board

A few weeks ago I was sitting enjoying a picnic on a beautiful beach when I witnessed an unusual sight. A man was coaxing his dog onto a paddle board. It was not an easy task. The dog was very reluctant to climb aboard, but after much pushing, coaxing, and lifting, the man managed to force the dog on to the back of the board, and launched out into the lake. I watched as the guy paddled the board further and further away from the shore and out into deep waters. The dog never moved. The two were out on the water for a long time. I lost sight of them, and it was a while before I saw them returning to the beach. The dog was in exactly the same position, and only moved when the paddle board grounded on the sand. Then he hurriedly jumped off and scampered away. He had been safe all along, and had participated in what had to have been an amazing adventure. Being on that paddle board had allowed that dog to go much further out into the lake than he would ever have done by himself. But then again, he had no choice in the matter.
We who serve in Children's Ministry have a choice. God never forces us to step out of our comfort zone...but if we don't, we might miss an amazing adventure that we would never experience by ourselves. So what will you choose...God's big paddle board adventure, or the safety of the beach?