That tiny bit of something on the surface is actually a big oyster bar.
When you look at the picture above, what jumps out at you? The sun is really bright and the water is really calm. The photo was taken in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. An unseasoned boater who is out enjoying the beautiful weather and calm waters might plow right over it. That would be really bad.
Here is the oyster bar at low tide.
What looked just like a little place in the ocean that you could just go around and miss, is actually the tip of a large mass of coral type oyster shells. They are very sharp and very hard and could completely destroy the bottom of a boat, leaving the occupants stranded or worse.
When you go out into the ocean, it’s always best to pick a seasoned captain who knows how to navigate the waters that you want to travel in. I wouldn’t want a river boat captain to take me out in the ocean, but I wouldn’t want a seasoned Pacific Ocean captain to take me out in the Gulf of Mexico either. Every body of water is different with different hazards that only a seasoned captain can know.
I think life is kind of like that. When you run into rough waters in particular areas, you don’t always seek advice from the same person. I may have a very close friend who doesn’t have kids. Would I ask her advice on how to deal with my teenager? By the same token, if I were having marital problems, would I seek advice from someone who has been divorced three times? Probably, not.
We were made for community. I believe that God sends all sorts of people into our lives at different times for different reasons and seasons. He even sends some of the same people in and out at different times while He’s weaving the tapestry that becomes our story.
I think when we really need advice, instead of just looking to our closest friends, we should seek out people who we consider wise in the matters that we need help with. The Bible has a lot to say about wisdom. Proverbs 8:11 tells us, “Wisdom is more valuable than rubies.” James 1:5 tells us, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he will give it to you.”
What does all of that mean? I think it means that God respects our need for guidance and He puts people in our lives who can help us along the way, but it’s up to us to recognize them. There’s a lady at my church who has been a member forever. She raised her kids there. When I started having concerns about church, I prayed about it. Her name came to mind. I picked up the phone and called her. She was incredibly helpful and she gave me wise advice. God put her in my path, but it was up to me to seek her out.
The oceans of our lives are bound to have oyster bars. We have to learn to navigate around them. From time to time, we need to seek advice. It’s up us to seek it from those who are wise, but luckily, if we pray about it, God will point the way. Have you ever needed to seek wise advice? Feel free to share.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂