Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature … For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
—1 Samuel 16:7
The day of one’s baptism is a pinnacle experience for many Christians. Mine certainly was! Of course, it was a peak spiritual experience of my young life, as I was just beginning on the journey of my life of faith. Little did I know how memorable my baptism experience would be.
On the day of my baptism, there were a number of others who were being baptized as well, several teenagers, two adults, and me, a young boy, barely 6 years old. My home church practiced baptism by immersion in a pool of water (baptistry) located behind and above the choir loft in the sanctuary.
Due to my young age, I was by far the shortest of the baptismal candidates. In order to baptize the taller folks, the baptistry needed to be full. Unfortunately, a full baptistry put the water far over my head. What was I to do? Our pastor came up with a brilliant plan: we would line up the baptismal candidates by height from tallest to shortest (putting me at the end), and, upon entering the baptistry, the pastor would pull the plug at the bottom of the pool, allowing the water to drain naturally while he baptized the others. This way, by the time I entered, the water would no longer be over my head. The plan was brilliant!
Baptisms in our church were scheduled in the early part of worship services to give the pastor, who wore waders into the pool, time to put his suit back on and return to the pulpit in time to preach the sermon. Our church had a group of wonderful volunteers who assisted with baptism behind the scenes, ensuring all of the baptismal candidates were safe and sound and assisting the pastor as needed so everything ran like clockwork.
Baptism day finally came. I was filled with so much excitement I could barely sit still! I prayed that morning, brought extra clothes to church, and made my way to the changing area. Everything went as planned (or so I thought) for the baptisms. The pastor pulled the plug as he entered the pool, just as he promised, and the water slowly began draining out. When it was finally my turn to enter the pool, the water had drained just enough that, if I stayed on my tiptoes, my head stayed above the water. I remember experiencing one of the most blissful feelings of my young life as I was plunged deep in the water and arose into the newness of life.
It was not until I exited the pool that I discovered the mystery of the day—the pastor’s waders had sprung a leak! He was soaked to the bone and was due to preach in ten minutes. He and one of the male volunteers looked each other up and down, sizing each other up. They surmised that they were the same height and build. They quickly exchanged clothes, the pastor preached a rousing sermon, and most of the congregation never knew he did so in a set of borrowed clothes!
Many churches closely associate Easter with baptism, viewing it as the ideal time to symbolize a believer’s resurrection and new life in Christ. This practice, rooted in early Christian history, reflects the spiritual transition from death to life.
Whether you have been baptized by sprinkling, immersion in a church baptistery, lake, river, or ocean, for all who believe, the waters of baptism are an endless source of spiritual nourishment and resilience. This dry season of Lent leads us to dive deeply into the life-giving waters of Easter, where grace never runs dry.
Martin Luther reportedly said, “When you wash your face, remember your baptism.” The saints of the past saw baptism as a means of grace that truly transformed life. Baptism serves as “a sign and seal of the covenant of grace.”
God doesn’t look at the clothes we wear or the height of our stature. God looks at our hearts. When you remember your baptism, don’t hesitate to dive in, pull the plug, and flood the world with the love of Christ.
