Sabbath Devotional :: Leap of Faith

“Into Eternity” by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

While we were on vacation recently, my daughters and I spent an afternoon at an outdoor swimming pool. Of course, we were not the only ones who had decided to enjoy the sunshine and water on this hot summer day. There were at least a couple hundred other people there with us. The pool was enormous. Every area of the pool was crowded with bodies, swimming and splashing and shouting. More people were all around the outside of the pool, laying on the grass or stretched out on lounge chairs; soaking up the sun or enjoying the shade of the large oak trees.

The pool curved from one end to the other, forming a “C” shape. Right in the middle stood three diving boards of different heights, visible to everyone. Each diving board had a steady flow of people waiting in line for their turn to climb up and plunge into the water below.

At one point I noticed a young boy, probably about five years old, who had just climbed onto the highest of the diving boards. I watched as he inched his way closer to the edge, visibly nervous. As he approached the edge, it was clear that he was frightened and was having second thoughts. He started to sit down, then he started to turn back.

I was not the only one who had noticed this young diver. A few people shouted encouragement, and within moments it seemed as if the attention of every person had turned to the frightened boy on the high dive. Suddenly there was an explosion of cheering and applause and encouragement. It was a magical moment that took my breath away. In an instant, nearly everyone had stopped what they were doing and were focused on encouraging and cheering for one child who was experiencing some difficulty.

As the cheers erupted from the crowd and surrounded him, a visible change came over the boy. I could see the courage rise in him and conquer the fear as he stepped to the edge of the diving board and leapt into the water below. When he resurfaced, the cheers continued. He climbed out of the water, beaming, and immediately got in the line behind the high dive to do it all again. And he did do it again. And again, and again, and again, each time with less hesitation and more confidence.

This little moment that I witnessed at a swimming pool on a hot July afternoon has stayed with me for weeks. I find myself thinking about it often.

I find myself thinking about the power of encouragement. Who can I offer encouragement to? Who can I support, lift, and cheer on? How can I boost and support the people around me? Who might need to feel love and support? What difference might that make?

And how might I be doing the opposite? How often am I irritated, annoyed, or quick to criticize? Even when the criticism isn’t coming out of my mouth, how often is it in my thoughts? How can I be more generous, not only with my words and deeds, but also in my thoughts?

In addition to thinking about this little boy who experienced a magical moment on the high dive, I find myself thinking about those who have had a different experience. I think about those who have stood at the edge, filled with fear, but have gone unnoticed.

I find myself thinking about the people around me, wondering how many of them might be standing on the edge of something that feels very overwhelming or scary. How many of them might be hurting or struggling, feeling invisible?

I also find myself thinking about some of my own painful experiences. There have been times in my life when I gathered all my courage, put my trust in the Lord, took a giant leap of faith, and plunged into darkness. But instead of resurfacing to sunshine and applause, I found myself in dark and desolate waters, feeling alone and distressed.

How many people around me are experiencing those deep, dark waters right now? Who might be feeling alone or abandoned? Who might be sinking, anguished, and calling for help?

Throughout all these thoughts, I keep coming back to the same questions:

What can I do? What will I do?

I’m still searching for the answers to those questions. It is easy to feel discouraged because I can’t do everything, and, in all honesty, sometimes I feel like I can hardly do anything.

But I have witnessed the truth of the principle that “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6), so when I feel discouraged, I remind myself to focus on the small and simple things.

What can I do? I can start by paying more attention to the people around me so I will be able to notice needs. I can assume that everyone around me is struggling with something – because they probably are. I can treat everyone with more tenderness and grace, including myself.

I can pray for guidance. I can expect answers to those prayers. I can be actively listening and looking for those answers so I will recognize them when they come.

What would we do differently if we imagined that everyone around us was either standing at the edge of something terrifying or sinking in dark and desolate waters? Because it is likely that many of them are.

What can we do? What will we do?

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls. – Alma 37:6-7