Deep Dive

The High Dive; CC SA-NC 2.0 by Scott McLean

Many moons ago, I spent a disproportionate amount of time at the pool. I loved swimming, but I never got into the diving side of things; my depth perception from heights wasn’t conducive to the *splat* factor of the waters’ surface.

Since then, I have often held an interest in platforms: the physical kind (to allow a higher and wider descent, like a diving board or a sneeze on a balcony), and the metaphorical kind (a place from which to speak ideas, and have them projected broadly).

It’s these political platforms that have been intriguing me lately, as I have seen people use platforms for reasons to build up a community; and some to tear it down. I have pondered the campaigns of mud-slinging and negativity; I don’t understand why some people would want to project a negative narrative, nor why others seek to establish and maintain a platform to host such a narrative. To use one’s energy to undercut or destabilise another person seems, to me, to be counter-productive to the Gospel.

The teachings of Jesus were, at times, shared from platforms. Jesus spoke to the crowds from a boat, or from a mount; he spoke to people equipped to continue sharing the message, and he demonstrated acts of power and grace to people least likely to take them for granted. He went out of his way to spread love and forgiveness, acting with kindness and integrity.

Perhaps, when we are considering what platforms we are projecting or supporting, we might consider if Jesus would encourage us in this behaviour, or if he might guide our hearts to use our place and space for holier purposes.

The opportunities are always before us to speak truth and inclusion; to do so is to journey with Jesus on the platform. Let’s use whatever we can to project the Good News of God in Christ – as often and as broadly as we can.