Raising the Water Level

Spring is the time of the year when man made lakes and reservoirs begin to raise the water level. This is of course the right time to do that. Folks who swim, boat and fish will all be out in force in a few short weeks. Those kinds of activities need a higher water level.

As I rode by the lake near my home a few weeks back I was suddenly aware of how low the water level was. I thought it would be higher by now. The dam that controls the water level had not been altered to allow a higher water level. In the middle of the lake you could see dry land. In other places you could see garbage and other items that had been hidden from view. It was not that someone had just decided to place these items in the lake. They had been there all along. It was just that no one could see them due to the higher water level. Now that the water lever had receded, items that had been hidden were suddenly in plain view.

How many times are our lives like that lake? There are things underneath the surface of which others may not be aware, but they are there just the same. Some things we can keep hidden for long periods of time, but sooner or later the water level will fall. When that occurs, the hidden things are revealed.

I love reading in 2 Corinthians where Paul is defending his ministry against those who have questioned it. What is really very interesting is how his life reads like an open book. There are no water levels to drop. There is no garbage to be revealed. Was he perfect? Far from it. But he clearly opened himself up to those around him for their edification and growth.

Do not misunderstand me. There are some issues where we all choose to remain private, and that is our right. However, when we hide everything about our lives from other believers, it harms us and hinders the body of Christ.

Do you have a safe place to open up your life? There are numerous places where this could happen. It could be in your small group, in your Bible study group, or with a few close Christian friends. But we all need a safe place where we can simply be who we are, so we can let God show through as the water level rises and falls.