Casting Your Shadow

One of my favorite urban legends is about a young man who was training to become an Olympic diver. He wasn’t a Christian man, and really, the only religious influence in his life came from one of his outspoken Christian friends. The young diver never really paid much attention to his friend’s “frequent sermons” and preferred not to think about the matter.

One night, however, the diver was feeling very troubled by the cares of the world so he went to the indoor pool at his college thinking that making a few dives would help him relax. The lights were off, but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was enough natural light for him to practice.

The young man climbed up to the highest diving board, and, as he turned his back to the pool, standing on the edge of the board with his arms extended, he saw his shadow on the wall. The shadow of his body was in the shape of a cross. At this moment, all of the things his friend had told him about Christ and His death on the cross came rushing back into the young diver’s mind. He believed that what his friend had told him was true and that Christ had come to earth and died on the cross to pay for his sins. In his pain and desperation, the diver knelt down and asked Jesus to come into his life.

When he stood up, a maintenance man walked in and turned the lights on. He quickly told the diver that the pool had just been drained for repairs. The young man looked down, and sure enough, the pool was empty. Through God’s grace and mercy, he had been saved in more ways than one.

That story is familiar, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you’d heard it before. But it’s a powerful reminder to us of God’s love and sovereignty. And it’s also a reminder to all of us about how we represent Christ.

Just like the diver’s shadow on the wall depicted a cross that reminded him of Jesus’ death, we also cast a shadow every day—not a physical shadow, but a spiritual shadow. Through our lives, we display what is inside us to the outside world. As Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit, our daily shadow should depict Its fruits, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faith, gentleness and self-control.

Today, take a look at your shadow and ask yourself if you are living a life that makes others see the cross of Christ and His love. You never know who is watching and who might be saved as a result.