Lessons from a Sailboat 3

Lesson 3: Learn to Sail

There are two kinds of learning experiences—book learning and hands-on learning. To learn how to sail I needed both. Book learning taught me the rules of navigation, the names of the different parts of the sailboat, what the different sails and lines were used for, how to read a chart, and a whole lot more useful information. Hands-on learning enabled me to develop a skill that I did not possess before. I learned to hoist the sails, set the sails, sail using a compass, and to feel confident about my boat and myself. I learned not to panic when the boat heeled (tipped to the side). I learned to tack to windward and a whole lot more that can only be learned by doing.

In our Christian life we also need book learning and hands-on learning. The book of course is the Bible. This needs to be our primary source of learning. We can supplement this with reading from commentaries, inspirational books, devotional books, and biographies of great Christians. We also need hands-on learning to develop skills of serving, helping, encouraging, witnessing—even preaching and teaching. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in your head; it is to be lived among others as you demonstrate your Christlike qualities to those around you.

2 Peter 1:5-8

…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lessons from a Sailboat 2

Lesson 2: Take a boating course

The Government of Canada requires everyone who uses a boat to earn a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. This card proves that the person has studied the regulations and safety protocols for the use of watercraft in this country. The course is very helpful but it does not teach you how to use the boat you have. For that you need to actually get out on the water. For those of us who use a sailboat there are special skills and specific information about wind and waves that need to be learned. I took 13 weeks of in-class instructions, several days of hands-on instructions form a sailing club and the help of an experienced sailor to get me to the point of feeling confident about my own sailing.

In our Christian life we need good teaching and reliable coaching if we are to grow in our faith and become the Christians we ought to be. I am very grateful to the Sunday school teachers and youth Bible leaders that I had in my formative years, and to the various pastors who led our small church. I am thankful for the opportunity of taking courses at a Bible college. And today I am still a part of a home Bible study group. We can try to “go it alone” as a Christian, but this often results in misinterpretations of Scripture and a Christian life that is not well balanced. To be the best we can be, we need to keep learning from each other as we seek to apply God’s word to our lives.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.