Christian living is like tight-rope walking!

     I would guess you have never heard this comparison before. If you have, why didn't you share it with me? Anyways, I don't remember when I thought of this, but it is one of the multitude of little notes I have jotted in the notebook I carry with my Bible. Enjoy!

     In Christian living, just as in tight-rope walking, there are some essentials that we must have to be successful.

     For example, in tight rope walking, you must have balance. To achieve that balance, tight-rope walkers will use tools. For example, they have specific shoes, training, and a long pole to help them balance while they are on the rope.

     As a Christian, we also require balance. We can fall just as easily as a tight-rope walker can, but the consequences are eternal, not temporal. We don't use particular shoes or a long pole, but we do have tools that we can use to help us maintain the necessary balance. Bible study is the first and most important tool, followed closely by worship attendence.

     In tight rope walking, you must have focus. Lose your concentration for a minute and, . . .  whee! Down you go!

     Christians need focus as well. We can lose our concentration even easier that a tight rope walker. They have been trained to block out all the extraneous noises, thoughts, or anything else that might cause them to lose their focus. We simply are not capable. We still have to be in the world, so there are always distractions that pull at our focus. Whether it is finances, kids, sports, or who knows what else, we can easily lose focus. We can't afford that, because our fall can hurt so many others than just ourselves.

     Finally, a tight-rope walker needs a safety net. If he/she loses their balance or focus, a safety net is there to catch them. They can get up, and go right back to it.

     We followers of Christ need a safety net too. For some of us it is our family, for others our congregation. Whoever it is, make sure you are involved enough to know that your safety net will be there for you when you need it. Then we too can get up and get back to it. The biggest safety net of all is God's grace. Without it, any fall would be fatal. With it, any fall, no matter how big or small can be forgiven if we are willing to ask. Ephesians 2:8 tells us "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God,"

God bless you as you walk the tight-rope of a life in Christ.

The Penguin