Someone passed along to me a YouTube video of a baptismal moment that made America’s Funniest Home Videos. I got a big smile out of it and passed it along to a few friends.
But then, I started second guessing the kick I got out of it. On one hand, I find myself thinking, “Oh go ahead, laugh! Don’t saddle the little guy with the burden of grown-up inhibitions. He obviously doesn’t take himself too seriously. So don’t you do it either. The people who were there in church that day won’t ever forget that service. Who knows, maybe he’s just uninhibited enough to think, ‘Hey, isn’t our confession of faith something to celebrate and laugh about? Didn’t Jesus say there is joy in heaven when someone comes to faith (Luke 15:7)?'”
But then, I say, “Yeh, but what was he thinking? Did he have a clue about what baptism really means? It’s one thing to whoop and holler for joy of sins forgiven– for a life that will never end. It’s another to make light of the public declaration… Who knows, maybe his brother was back there and pushed him… Oh… I really don’t know…
Except for this. Maybe what I don’t know about “Splash” is a good chance to think again about what I was thinking on the day I publicly confessed Christ as my Savior? Did I have a clue of what a momentous event I was declaring by my baptism? And what am I thinking now about the inexpressible wonder that I confessed that day. How overjoyed am I about what baptism illustrates– being washed by Christ from the guilt of my sin– all of it– the worst of it– not by my own merits– but by trusting the One who died, was buried, and resurrected in my behalf!!!
Now I’ve got a smile on my face. Yeh, I really do…
Hey, what about you? Can we enjoy the moment together?!