Believers Boating

My hero E. Stanley Jones said once that he could see three types of Christians: the rowboat type, the sailboat type, and the steamboat type. He explained that the rowboat type does everything out of his/her own strength, which dissipates quickly. Rough water or contrary wind would describe real life circumstances that would easily prevent progress in this Christian’s life.

Sailboat types are moved by their circumstances in one direction or another. There is no inner strength at work – just wind and wave. When the pats on the back stop, this Christian stops. He/she is not reliable.

Steamboat types have an internal power available that makes them strong without regard for the presence or the strength of winds, whether favorable or unfavorable. It is true that they go faster with a helping wind, but they go on with no regard of the wind. They are not self-dependent or circumstance-dependent. They are dependent on Christ. Because of this dependence of theirs, they are dependable.

Be filled with the power that raised Jesus from the dead, and be worthy of trust and fullness of Life that has more than enough and can be generous in every situation.

Victorious Living (1936); Abingdon Press, Nashville TN, 2015