Mike Bettes of the Weather Channel did the unthinkable. While in Chicago this past week, he took on the challenge of the polar bear plunge. Participants had to chop a big section out of the ice off the shore of Lake Michigan. I think this practice began around 1907 and is reported to help individuals with vigor, strength, clear thinking and regain a zest for living!
I took my own version of the polar bear plunge about month ago—accidentally falling into my koi pond. I thought about the differences and similarities between my experience and Mike’s experience.
His plunge was intentional, mine was accidental.
He had sympathizers and helpers to get him out of the water, I had none!
His took real commitment from the beginning, mine did not.
He recorded his experience, I did not and had no intention to!
His was viewed as courage, mine probably as less than smart!
In making these comparisons, it dawned on me how the polar bear plunge is so much like the plunge into Christian baptism.
It is a communal experience.
It is intentional.
It is viewed as initiation into a group.
It takes real commitment.
It takes courage.
One thing different however: Christian baptism is the plunge that transforms the inside by the power of Christ’s resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit forever. Polar Bear participants do not want any inner change, because that results in hypothermia. But the Christian baptism plunge effects inner change that lasts a lifetime. Polar bear plunge participants have to do it again next year! No thank you!
I took my own version of the polar bear plunge about month ago—accidentally falling into my koi pond. I thought about the differences and similarities between my experience and Mike’s experience.
His plunge was intentional, mine was accidental.
He had sympathizers and helpers to get him out of the water, I had none!
His took real commitment from the beginning, mine did not.
He recorded his experience, I did not and had no intention to!
His was viewed as courage, mine probably as less than smart!
In making these comparisons, it dawned on me how the polar bear plunge is so much like the plunge into Christian baptism.
It is a communal experience.
It is intentional.
It is viewed as initiation into a group.
It takes real commitment.
It takes courage.
One thing different however: Christian baptism is the plunge that transforms the inside by the power of Christ’s resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit forever. Polar Bear participants do not want any inner change, because that results in hypothermia. But the Christian baptism plunge effects inner change that lasts a lifetime. Polar bear plunge participants have to do it again next year! No thank you!
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:3-4).
In Christian love, Curtis
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