7 Life Lessons from a Swimmimg Pool

1. When I am not vigilant my pool can turn green overnight.  When my heart is not vigilant, the devil can effectively tempt me with the bloom of algae, which eats away at my soul and causes murky water and then shame.  I won't have anyone over to the house for fear they might see my poor pool chemistry. Undelt with sin drives me into isolation just like a green pool.

2. Even when I am vigilant, my pool can turn green overnight.  When the wind shifts and mustard algae is blown into my pool, it is a reminder that my most righteous works, if they are the outworking of my salvation, will eventually lead to the despair of life.  Mustard algae is resistant to the cleansing effect of chlorine, just like my best deeds will never cleanse my heart before God. 

3.  When the temperature rises, a pool needs more chemicals and more filtration time.  When life's stress is spiking my internal thermometer, that is when I need to spend more time in the chemical of His Word and when I need to increasingly filter my thoughts through Christ.

4.  When there are a hundred leaves at the bottom of my pool, I have a choice of attitude to make.  Will my satisfaction be when the pool is leaf-free?  Or will I choose to rely on the character of God when the pool is not how it "should" be?   Leaves drop in the wrong places in life too. 

5.  Is it irreverent to compare the Incomparable with a Polaris, the debris vacuum cleaner for the pool?  In the fullness of time, Jesus willingly took the mess of decaying life in himself.  He filled up himself with our past, present and future sins (which are even uglier than the bloated frogs, slimy snakes, fermented leaves and other things which induce gagging in the Polaris bag).    Three days later God emptied Jesus from the grave's hold.  His completed work restored me and is the promise I hold onto of the restoration of all creation.  

6. There are a ton of unscrupulous pool stores.  They will sell me anything for my pool problems and I will spend a fortune on worthless colored liquids which are strong on the promise and weak on the delivery.  As in life, there is plenty of worthless, worldly advice on husbands and children and do's and do-not's.  I have learned to be careful from whom I buy wisdom.

7. A swimming pool is like Grace.  Some people drown in it and some only dabble their toes in it.  Call me a fool, but I would rather drown in it.


There are so many more parallels to pool ownership and life, but they will probably have to be learned in your pool not mine.