Lessons from a Sailboat 7

Lesson 7: The Mast

The most prominent feature of a sailboat is the mast. This is a tall pole, usually made of aluminum, that rises from the deck. The mast supports the sail and the boom (a shorter pole attached to the underside of the sail). The mast has to be strong to support the force of the wind when it fills the sail. While the sail itself is light, the force of the wind can be tremendous in a strong breeze or gale. It is therefore extremely important for the mast and the system of stays and shrouds that support it to be strong.

In your Christian life also you need a strong support system. The Christian life is not always easy, particularly if you are going to take your stand publicly. Your moral and ethical stand will sometimes clash with popular culture. Some people may be offended by your beliefs. Some decisions you make may cost you your job or deny you a promotion. Some of your friends may no longer associate with you. For all the winds of adversity you face, you will need the strong support system of other believers and your faith is Jesus to see you through.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Lessons from a Sailboat 6

Lesson 6: The Purpose of Sails

Sails are what define a sailboat. People stand on the shore and look out at sailboats because of the sails. But sails do more than make a boat look good. They are essential for moving the boat through the water. They have a purpose. They act like the engine in a power boat, except that they draw their power from the wind. On most yachts you will see two sails: A large sail (called the mainsail) attached to a mast, and a smaller sail (called the foresail or jib) attached to a line at the front of the boat. The sails are what drive the boat. Without sails, a sailboat would go nowhere.

The Purpose Driven Life is a popular book that focuses on what drives a Christian to action and service. I like to think that the purpose of our life is like the sails on the sailboat. Without a purpose we will get nowhere. We will be driven by every wind and tide around us, by every popular belief and every fashionable activity. What is your life’s mainsail? What do you consider the main reason you exist? What are your smaller goals? If you are to progress in your faith and life, you need to know your priorities and set your life’s sails to those purposes.

Galatians 4:18

It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.

Lessons from a Sailboat 5

Lesson 5: Choose a Marina

 Having made a commitment and purchased a boat, my next big decision was where to put it. I could not simply park it on my driveway. It was not going to go anywhere there. Sailboats are not like powerboats—you can’t simply launch them and take them out of the water every time you use them. You have to have a dock to tie them to for the season. And if you don’t own one you have to find one, usually at a marina. Putting my boat in a marina was another financial commitment, but it rewarded me with a sheltered harbour, a network of support from other sailors, and times of fellowship and fun with other like-minded people.

As a Christian, you can’t simply park yourself at home and sing “I’m satisfied with Jesus here.” You need to find a spiritual marina, a place where you can find a network of support from other Christians. A place where you can enjoy fellowship with other like-minded people who have also committed their lives to Jesus. You need to find a church where you can find shelter from life’s storms and from where you can launch yourself into service. Look around and find the group that best meets your needs.

Acts 2:46

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

Lessons from a Sailboat 4

Lesson 4: Purchase a Boat

Leaning about sailing is exciting. Actually sailing is fun and adventurous. But at some point I had to actually purchase a boat of my own. There is only so much you can do in the classroom. And your friends will tolerate your sailing with them only so long. To be a genuine sailor I not only needed to know how to sail but I had to make a commitment and buy a boat. Fortunately when it comes to good used boats, sailboats are relatively inexpensive. My first sailboat was a 20ft Matilda design. I eventually sold that one and bought another 20 footer, a DS20 design, much roomier and a little faster. I could never know the real freedom of sailing without making that commitment.

The same is true in our Christian life. You can study the Bible, go to church, and meet in a small group with Christian friends. But you will never know the saving grace of God until you make a commitment of your life to Christ. Neither the Bible, nor church, nor your Christian friends can save you. Only Jesus can do that. To be a genuine Christian with a born-again experience you must make that personal commitment to Jesus.

Luke 9:23

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me

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.

Lessons from a Sailboat 1

Lesson 1: There are different kinds of boats

Lesson 1: There are different kinds of boats

Over the years I have ridden in, borrowed, rented, and owned a number of different kinds of boats. I recall rowboats, and a small punt, both of which I rowed to get anywhere. Needless to say I did not go far in these. There was also a canoe, which required almost as much work at the rowboats. Then there were several small aluminum fishing boats to which I could attach a outboard motor. More fun than a rowboat and I could go farther. And then there were the sailboats. More fun than the aluminum boats and I could stay out overnight and even cook on board. But each boat had a purpose. How boring and impractical life on the water would be if every boat was alike.

The same is true of our lives. We are all different from each other. Each of us has talents and abilities unique to us. We each have different personalities, different looks, and different temperaments. It would be as unfair to compare ourselves with others as it would be to compare a canoe to a sailboat. As there are different kinds of boats, so too there are different kinds of people. We should not expect others to be like us. And we should not try to be like others. We should learn to appreciate ourselves as part of God's Creation and seek to find our purpose and place in life.

1 Corinthians 12:6
There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.