Fish and Loaves

AED – 3 letters that meant nothing to Colton Boechler before Saturday June 2, 2012; before he went into cardiac arrest after a 360 degree spin off the diving board at a public pool on that spring day; before lifeguards applied the adhesive pads of the automated external defibrillator (AED) to the 11-year-old’s chest and discharged over 100 joules of electricity to jumpstart his heart.  After that event those 3 letters mean everything to him.

If his heart had chosen a less opportune time to stop he may not be here today.  If he had had a cardiac arrest at school or in the skate park or even at home; in fact, anywhere in the absence of the AED, he would have succumbed to his ailment.  For him, the UBC aquatic center where his heart stopped was his “safe place” – where equipment and personnel were available to shock him back to life.

We too need a safe place when our hearts are sick.  When tragedy strikes or we’re overwhelmed with life or we’re simply wandering off course, we need to be in a place where resources are available for our resuscitation.  For me that safe place is my Christian community – my immediate family and the extended family of my church cluster – those that are living life with me; people who know me - my strengths and weaknesses, my personality and vulnerabilities; those who know how to apply the proper treatment to my ailing heart.   

Sometimes that treatment is to apply the “shock” of the gospel – to remind me of who my God is and who I am in Him; to zap me with the good news that I have a God who loves and cares for me and that that love is in large part expressed through my brothers and sisters – my family in Him; that He is in control and that all things work together for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purposes.  Sometimes the treatment comes in the form of a loving rebuke.  Sometimes it’s a listening ear, a warm embrace or loving, empathic companionship on a difficult road.  Usually it’s just helping me to process and gain perspective.  I have experienced all of these resuscitations in Christian community and they have restored my heart, allowing me to continue on life’s journey. 

Just like Colton and the potential tragedy of being outside a safe place when his heart failed, we too are in a dangerous place if we’re not where our heart can be attended to.  We need others in Christian community as much as Colton needed that AED.  May we never stray too far from that safe place.