Having A Go

I am used to spending early January traveling with my family. We will go see my mothers family in West Virginia, and then be with my brother in Lexington Virginia. Both Virginia and West Virginia are cold in late December and early January. It is almost always snowing in West Viginia over the holidays. That is why it felt so strange to go surfing last Thursday.

Three weeks ago a friend who helps with the youth group I teach talked to me about the possibility of a surfing trip. A young man who lived in another area of Australia runs a ministry where he would bring surf boards and equipment so teens can learn to surf. And he had contacted my friend about taking the youth group surfing at a nearby beach. My first response to that was, “there is is now way I am going surfing”!

I have never been surfing in my entire life. And I did not want to embarrass myself in front of teenagers by trying to surf (I do that enough already). But yet I was out there with them last Thursday. And the reason why has a lot to do with a well known Australian phrase. There are phrases in Australia that are not used in the United States. And many times those phrases teach us something about the Australian culture. One that God has used to help me understand Australians better is, “have a go”.

In America there is a focus for excellence. This is a very good thing, and is one of the main reasons why we are such a prosperous nation. But this focus can also be a hindrance. For sometimes we will not attempt things that we can't excel at. Yet excellence only comes through practice and patience. The Australian view that is summed up in, “have a go” has a different focus. This focus is doing the best that you can. The Australians still desire excellence but also respect those who try even though they aren't gifted in it.

Last July I learned the true meaning of “have a go”. I was on a missions trip in Sydney, and went on a trip hunting for kangaroo. I didn't try to shoot any animals because I am not that great of a shot (city boys don't have much to shoot at for practice). Later on though I did do some target shooting with rifles. After trying to hit the target and failing miserably I got mad at myself. A few moments later one of the men told me to try hitting another target with a different gun.

I declined because I didn't want to embarrass myself any more than I already had. That was when he turned to me and said, “Australians respect a man who tries more than one who doesn't”. I ended up taking the second gun and hitting the target, after which they celebrated as if I had killed a thousand kangaroos.

I believe that in many ways God is like that. He does desire for us to give him our very best. But many times he will challenge us to do things that we don't exactly excel at, just to see if we will try. That was why I went surfing at a beach Thursday knowing full well that I would never actually stand up. Because I serve a God who simply desires a willingness to try. And then of course to try again until you get better.

The year 2008 holds many challenges for me. And it would be easy to back away from them and instead only attempt the things I can do well. But I would be turning my back on opportunities to display God's blessing, strength, wisdom in my life. So I have made a commitment to at least attempt those challenges that God brings. And I have my work cut out for me. The young man with the surfing ministry is coming back next year, and the words snow boarding where mentioned.