To some, sharks have bad reputations. We fear them and really don’t understand them, other than seeing them as aggressive man hunters.

Granted, some are more aggressive than others, but for any surfer, or scuba diver, there is an understanding that the ocean is their home and we are merely visitors. Sometimes mistaken as potential food sources – that’s the scary part.

Yet, recently, I went scuba diving with sharks. They were nurse sharks, and eels to be exact, and apparently these are the nicer creatures out there.

I must admit, it was fun and exciting. They weren’t anything like I assumed and though the image of swimming with any shark, even if they’re nurse sharks, seems wild – it was a one of the most memorable dives I have had.

It actually makes me think about other “sharks” in our life. Perhaps they are people, or even situations and circumstances that seem aggressive, unkind, and threatening.

The reality may be that they are, or perhaps it’s our perception – and once we get in the water, we discover something new and better than we had ever imagined.

Jesus once said, “I send you out as sheep among wolves – be wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove”. I guess it could also be said we are sent out among sharks, and being wise, shrewd, and innocent are key characteristics no matter where we go in this life.

Perhaps the actualization of this while diving with sharks this past weekend was the exact reminder I needed.