A Swim with Sharks in Mo’orea

What are you afraid of?

I wonder if a swim with blacktip sharks can reveal some of our fears, and help us know if these fears are valid or not.

All of us are afraid of some things; from small things like spiders to big things like failure. But most if not all of these fears are not what we think they are. They may appear to us as deadly creatures ready to attack, but they are not.

Sharks have been portrayed by media as terrible creatures who attack humans without notice. But the facts tell something different. Like the Smithsonian Institutes says, “while shark encounters do occur, they are actually extremely rare—despite the extensive media coverage they usually receive. In fact, your chances of being the victim of an unprovoked shark encounter are lower than your chances of being struck by lightning, injured in a hunting accident, or even attacked by a domestic dog.”

Maybe the fears that grip us need to be encountered with different lenses–lenses of truth. Truth not just about sharks, but about much bigger things like eternal life. Do you know that the story of Jesus Christ is not a fable but a true story? Jesus is actually who he said He is. He is a revelation of the Creator God. His love for you changes you in such a way that you begin to overcome anxiety and fear with peace and love. And you begin to see the meaning of life in a much broader way, that make a lot more sense.

My hope for you is that you will be able to swim with blacktip sharks someday as I did. It was a glorious experience. My hope for you also is that you will “swim” in the grace of God, because through Christ you will be able to overcome your fears and find new life in Him.