I guess it’s a kind of proverb: a boat is safe in the harbour – but that’s not what they are built for. It’s an inspirational quite attributed to a number of people and which I stumbled across a few years ago while looking for something else entirely. It’s a quote that has stuck in my mind and has even coloured some of my decisions.
I do think it an interesting analogy. A ship can look all shiny and new and not risk getting battered and scraped or even capsized and sunk, but then what is the point of the boat? Most boats are not made to just be works of art. They may have graceful lines and draw the eye, but they are first and foremost a mode of transport designed to face the elements.
The problem is that inevitably the ship will get blown around and will get knocked about – it’s unavoidable in the day to day dealings of boats. The only way to avoid it is to stay in harbour – and thereby fail to fulfil the purpose for which it has been made.
The same can be said for us. We can stay where we are safe. Maybe that’s in a place of work or a geographical location that is known to us, or maybe that’s quite simply our homes or even our beds. We can stay safe and know that we won’t get battered and bruised. We can look at the experiences of others or even our own past experiences and think it’s better to just stay safe. It’s tempting at times!
When a ship has been battered it needs to be repaired so it returns to harbour and spends some time there while it is taken care of – dents hammered out, leaks patched up, new lick of paint. Then there is a choice – keep it in tip-top condition in the harbour or head out for more adventures.
When we have been knocked about or worn down, we also need to recuperate. We need to slow ourselves to heal and recover. Then we have a choice – stay safe or take a chance.
There’s a sermon I remember from when I was still a child. I don’t remember much, but I remember the tag line: don’t take care, take risks. Jesus’ disciples could have chosen a quiet life. They could have stayed in their safe jobs in their hometown and lived long lives. But they would have missed out on so much. They chose to take a risk and follow Jesus and they got battered and bruised on the way, and none of them died peacefully in their beds, but they also got to walk with, talk with and learn from Jesus himself. They got to see miracles first hand. They chose to leave the harbour and it was worth it.
I know from experience that choosing to take a risk, choosing to leave the harbour can lead to life-changing experiences. I also know that it can lead to getting knocked flat. Which means I also know that sometimes we need to limp back to our ‘safe harbour’, where ever that may be, and get ‘repaired’ or at least give ourselves time to recover. But that doesn’t mean we have to stay in the harbour. More adventures await.
We have that choice. We can choose to not risk getting hurt. But then we also choose to limit our experiences. Or we can choose to take a risk and get knocked down but also know that we will see things we never imagined. I know which I would rather. Which is God calling you to do?
The Reason for my Hope Blog 