In the World But Not Of It

Kayak season is here! The treetops across from this marina behind me were littered with nesting Great Blue Herons. The osprey flew above in wide sweeps over the river, carrying fresh fish in their talons. The breeze was stiff, and the water sparkling in the sun. This is my happy place.
I have been kayaking here for six years now. It never gets old. All the lovely wildlife is familiar, and a joy for me. I love kayaking early in the season before the turtles grow too wary. Many lined half-submerged logs, watching me placidly as I cruised by.

Then on a large rock that poked a flat face above the water, I saw a turtle with a shell easily more than a foot in diameter. The shell was flat, not at all like the many painted turtles, and common box turtles. I crept closer. It was a snapping turtle! A huge one. I have never seen a snapping turtle sunning. I knew they must be in the river but this was the first one I have actually spied.

He was wary. I wish I could've glided closer and gotten a better picture. He lifted his strange long snout typical of a snapper, and then scrambled to jump off the rock and into the water. I passed him again half an hour later on the same rock upon my return downstream. Again, he skittered away before I could get too close.

Snapping turtles could remove toes from hapless swimmers. They are always there, lurking in the mud of the river bed. Fortunately, they are clearly very wary of people. Still, this is why I like being IN the water but not Of it. Drifting in a kayak on the water, I avoid all the scary, dangerous, bitey things that could harm me. If I were OF the water, like the snapping turtle, I would be in danger of losing my toes...or worse!

This reminds me of a Bible Verse: ( I know what you are thinking...of course it does!)

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. JOHN 15: 18-21

And yet, we are clearly not to disengage from the world. We are to be in the world, but not of it. By our presence, we are to make an impression, leave ripples (following my river analogy) of the presence of Christ. Obviously, we cannot impact the world for Jesus if the turtle...er people...never see us or His light in us. We don't need to sink into the slime of sin, but we need to shine the light of the glorious Son in their presence, thereby drawing them to Him in our wake.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

The snapping turtle did not take the time to absorb all the wonderful things I had to teach him. He took off too quickly. However, since I saw him twice on the same rock in the same place, I know how I can find him. Sometimes one must be intentional in winning others' hearts.
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Romans 10:1 

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.