About 200 people — including 100 lifeguards — attended a pool party in New Orleans in 1985 to celebrate the first summer in memory that no one had drowned at a city pool. At the end of the festivities, the four on-duty lifeguards began clearing the area and found a fully dressed man in the deep end. Despite efforts to revive him, he died.
Just as swimming with a bunch of lifeguards doesn’t guarantee safety, “swimming” with a sea of churchgoers doesn’t guarantee peace. People in the pews next to you might be struggling to stay above water physically, emotionally, financially, or spiritually. Be alert to ways you can serve as a lifeguard. Extend a helping hand, a listening ear, and an encouraging reminder of Jesus’ ultimate rescue (see Romans 7:24-25).