WADING IN WATER

Wading pools are generally used for young children who do not yet know how to swim. The pools enable them to become acclimated to being in the water in a relatively safe environment. However, an adult who does not yet know how to swim would look silly, perhaps even a bit ridiculous, playing in a wading pool as a means of becoming acclimated to being in the water. A teenager or an adult who does not yet know how to swim must learn to do so in an adult swimming pool. A similar analogy can be used for theologians who have not been accustomed to putting the Bible into practice. They cannot take a "wading pool" approach to practical Christianity. They must bravely take a deep breath, close their eyes, say a prayer, and dive in.