(Inspired by Second Corinthians 5:17)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Once upon a time, there was a fish. From just a guppy, this fish had only known swimming in water. In fact, Bubbly Fish was known to swim in the deepest and darkest parts of the lake. One day Bubbly stroked higher and closer to the surface than he had ever swum before. After his buggy eyes adjusted to the extra light, he rather liked swimming in warmer water where he could see. He joined one of the schools who hung out there. One day, as he was swimming along with his friends when one of the fish darted for the surface, burst through, and never returned.
The rest of the school swam in stunned silence that their friend was gone. Our friend Bubbly decided to go after his buddyfish. He swam toward the surface, swishing his way past fear into determination. Bubbly picked up speed. Faster and faster Bubbly traveled until he dared the surface of the lake, rocketing into the air.
As he fell toward the surface, the fish became a duck. He was still an aquatic animal, yet he was a very different creation. He swam through the water, yet he stayed above. Actually, he had a bit of trouble staying above the surface. The world was so different. So Quacky duck stuck his head under the water.
“That’s more like it.” Quacky could see under the water but when he looked for his other fishy friends, they were scurrying away from him as fast as they could swim. He soon ran out of air, and threw his head above the surface to breathe. He tried again and again to make contact with his old school. He felt a tapping on his hind parts.
When he stuck his head up, another duck was using her bill to get his attention. Soon our friend Quackie was surrounded by other ducks. They swam together. They ate together. Suddenly, another duck swooped over his gaggle.
“ We can do that?!“ Quackie exclaimed. The other ducks smiled, stretch their wings, flapped and ran on the surface of the water, before jumping into the air themselves. He had to try that. He stretched his wings out and extended them some more, then began to beat them. Up, down, up, down, Quackie developed his rhythm. Soon his body was feeling light in the water. He lowered his head flat, sprinted along the surface until he rose into the sky. the sky felt so free! Quackie soared over all the lake.
Looking down, he could see The tops of his old school. A spontaneous plan hatched. “I could dive deep enough from here to speak with my old friends and let them know what happens when you Dare to break the surface.” And so our friend the duck turned his beak toward the Lake of Life and plummeted straight.
