39 Lashes

The water rocks my kayak as I paddle out from that Florida beach. Distant thunderclouds rumble, promising rain. The sky darkens, and the storm sends swells my way as if it had commanded them to scout the shoreline out. Soon, the waves grow from two feet to five feet high - an intimidating size for a wannabe beach bum from landlocked Austria. As the first big wave crashes in, I start to doubt whether I can take it head-on. Holding my breath, I turn to the left, and it rolls me. I take a few involuntary sips of Poseidon’s realm before I climb back into my boat, and the next swell approaches. I point the bow straight towards it and paddle hard. Up and over, I go. I feel like a Viking headed out to discover new land.

As the storm grew, I thought about that first wave that had rolled me. I could not escape it. It stood in my way as an obstacle, and so, as Marcus Aurelius said, the obstacle became the way. And I could overcome it only by facing it head-on.

Now, this story is not only about kayaking. It is about life. And in life, waves crash upon us. Things happen that we don’t like, misfortune strikes, fate plays out differently than we thought it would. We get sick; friends turn on us; family members die; accidents happen; we fail school; we lose our job – and we hate it when these things happen. They rock us; they turn our world upside down.

And how should we deal with these waves of difficulties? Do we want to turn around and start paddling in the opposite direction? Do we want to close our eyes and pretend they will not crash into us?

Seneca’s answer to these questions would certainly be ‘no’. He would say that experiencing misfortune is an opportunity to build and exhibit virtue. He would say that it tests a man's strength just as fire tests gold. Seneca believes that these waves can even be a source of happiness, and he would pity those who have not been dealt any hardship in life as they have not been allowed to prove themselves in the storm.

Paul of Tarsus would remind us to rejoice no matter the circumstances. He would tell us to be free of our anxiety and to trust in God (Philippians 4:4). He would emphasize that we should be thankful regardless of our circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:15), just as he had found so much peace in God that he could endure all things through Him (Philippians 4:13).

I believe we should place weight upon these words written by Seneca and Paul. They are not empty but instead backed by their own fair share of experienced hardship.

Seneca faced the death sentence (probably based on false allegations), which was then commuted to exile. He lost the people he loved and the life he had built himself. After returning to Rome, he was accused of taking part in an assassination attempt on Nero. As punishment, he was forced to commit suicide, which proved to be a long and painful process when the methods deployed to kill him only slowly drained the life out of him.

Paul rigorously spread the message of Jesus throughout the Roman empire. As a result, he was imprisoned multiple times, beaten bloody with rods on three different occasions, and stoned until he was believed to be dead. He endured three shipwrecks, being adrift for a day and a night once, and on five different occasions, he received 39 lashes, which left the skin hanging from his back (2 Corinthians 11:24-28).

These men know what they speak of. They faced injustice and hardship. They did not let the threat of suffering persuade them from doing what was right. In fact, they did the opposite, they rejoiced in their fate. They saw it as an opportunity.

We should heed their words. And when a storm is brewing and the swells grow, let’s paddle to meet those waves head-on and be grateful for the opportunity to be virtuous and allow our faith to grow.

Who would want to kayak in still water anyway? No swells to ride, no water splashing in your face - how boring would that be? It would certainly not make us better kayakers.