“Eddie would go!” Is the catch phrase and mantra of one of Hawaii’s greatest surfers. Eddie Aikau was known for his passion on the surf and his ability to conquer the largest waves in the most extreme conditions. He was a legendary super hero that for many years went relatively unknown if it were not for a surfing organization that created a competition in his honor called Quick Silver and Jeff Divine a surfer photographer and photo editor of The Surfers Journal of San Clemente, California1. Eddie’s heroics goes further than is athletic achievement, he was a peacemaker for Australian surfers that feared for their lives during a heated rivalry and the greatest lifeguard that ever lived. With eyes as an eagle, he swooped into save 500 lives from drowning. His brother Clyde recounts it was more like a thousand, who was another talented surfer in his own right. “In 1967, Eddie Aikau became a lifeguard at Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore. He quickly made a name for himself as he braved waves as high as 30 feet and ventured into waters no one else would dare enter to rescue people caught in the waters.”2
For years Eddies passion for surfing served to save lives. He never discriminated when he entered the beast of the ocean to pull people from all walks of life to safety. From children, women, men, and even drunken soldiers; Eddie snatched them from death with surgical precision. With great lament, Eddie lost his life to the same ocean that displayed grace to so many others. The life of Eddie reveals three precious pearls; it doesn’t matter where you come from or your qualifications to make a difference, secondly live life pursing your passion and thirdly leave everything in the ocean. I believe you are the game changer! Peer across the ocean of life to find who you need to rescue. When it’s all said and done, leave this world empty.
It doesn’t matter where you come from or your qualifications to make a difference. This world needs you now regardless of your position. Eddie didn’t wait to graduate high school to become a lifeguard and a renowned surfer. His qualifications developed from real life experience because of his daring to surf the largest waves. It was his God given talent and purpose that translated into being the great lifeguard ever. The catch phrase “Eddie would go” will forever immortalize him for his big heart to go in the most treacherous waters to save souls. You possess a talent with your gifts that can transform your family and community if you refuse to take them for granted. It could be a service to a shelter, tutoring at a nearby school, coaching a little league. Your words have the power to save souls through being a living testimony for Jesus. Scripture challenges us, “does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:15 AMP). Take the gift you have and put it on display.
When David was anointed to be the next king of Israel after Saul, he was overlooked by his family and friends. His pedigree wasn’t royalty but a shepherd boy with skills to protect his sheep from bears and lions. Deep inside are skills and talents that you already have waiting to emerge to make a difference. God qualifies you not based on age, experience or even your education. His desire is to look at your heart. For example, the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. 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) God qualified a little shepherd boy who feared no one over the stature of King who led as a sheep. Dr. Myles Munroe summed it up when he said, “A lion that leads a band of sheep will always beat a sheep that leads a pride of lions.” Furthermore, the experience of David protecting the sheep from bears and lions translated into killing the most feared soldier alive, Goliath. What you see in you that is insignificant will be the choice weapon against this world for battle.
Secondly, live pursuing your passions. “Eddie Aikau was born on May 4, 1946, in Kahului, Hawaii and began surfing at a very young age. After learning the basics of the sport in Kahului Harbor as a child, he moved with his family to Oahu at the age of 13. Three years later, he dropped out of school and began working at the Dole pineapple cannery. He used his wages earned there to buy his own board and began to focus all of his attention on surfing.” Your gift starts as a seed and blossoms into a tree casting a shadow on those under your care. It starts small, yet as you cultivate it and water it expands impacting those around you. Eddie nurtured his gift through unimaginable setbacks. I can’t fathom how many times he fell off his board, but despite the challenges what remembered is his monumental rides to glory What is it that you love to do? Have you put it to the side and allowed it to collect dust? It’s time like Eddie that you renew your focus and pursue your dreams and ignite a new passion.
David had another gift he cultivated outside of shepherding which was to play the harp. This ability to play had a soothing affect for David in the pasture. His audience were his sheep and the other animals in nature. I can visualize the birds nestling close to him on nearby branches to hear the strings vibrate with heavenly melodies. David didn’t craft his talent for the glamour and notoriety; however, he played for the passion and the love of it. His gift however would soon be used in the palace. “Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him” (1 Samuel 16: 23 NIV). David’s pursuit and passion for playing resulted in being the gift that comforted Saul. It’s your passion that will serve others as you develop it in the pasture. The pursuit isn’t for the allure of the world stage or for the financial gain; on the other hand, it’s to develop and become a better you. When your talents progress for the love of it like David playing the lyre, contentment and joy will follow. As your gift increases with purity, then it’s time to prepare to play at the palace in order bring healing to the world.
Lastly, leave everything in the ocean. What I want to press home it to leave this world empty. “If giving leaves you empty, you have given to the wrong person,” expressed Maza Dohta. Living empty is truly an expression of love. It has the adverse effect of living life to the fullest. Eddie in his short span of life lived more than many will ever live. In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take. Eddie went to the pinnacle of living empty by sacrificing his life for his crew members. In a 30 for 30 documentary, Sam George shared, “Aikau, who died in a rescue attempt following the capsizing of the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokulea in 1978, is one of the best-known, least known figures in surfing history. 28 years of _The Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau_ big wave riding event at Waimea has seen to that…”. Amie Lamoureux shared in allthathstisinteresting.com, “The group had completed a successful trip on this route just two years earlier. On March 16, the volunteer crew set out from Magic Island, Oahu. Shortly after, however, their canoe encountered a leak. They drifted into a storm and eventually capsized.
Aikau, ever the lifeguard, attempted to paddle on his board towards the island of Lānaʻi to get help for the others, first removing his life vest because it was hindering his paddling abilities. However, the rest of the crew was soon spotted by a commercial airplane and rescued soon after by the U.S. Coast Guard.” Unfortunately, Eddie never made it to shore. He left it all in the ocean as he paddled without a life-vest for miles. He lived empty “going” when no one would go. We can either live drifting through life or swim with the aspirations of catching the next biggest wave as we search and rescue the lost souls we encounter.
Jesus gave his life for the world and swam through the depth of hell to give us salvation and an abundant life. “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men” (Romans 5:18 NIV). Simply put, death resulted in humanity from the actions of Adam, yet the enduring shame on the cross was paid to give us life through Jesus. Jesus left his Heavenly throne and dove in the abyss while we were drowning. Today reflect on this new mantra, “Jesus would go!” “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV). As a result of our new lives in Christ we are now the game changer! Peer across the ocean of life to find who you need to rescue. Today is time to add your name to the list “______ would go!” When it’s all said and done, leave this world empty.
Dive Deep
- What talents and gift could you bring to the beach to be a spiritual lifeguard?
- What dreams and goals have you put on the shelf that need to be rekindled?
- How can you live life empty and deposit it in the ocean for others?
