The fishermen had let their lines down into the water when Dan noticed a school of dolphins had come alongside and were swimming in the boat’s wake.  He immediately shouted for the lines to be drawn in.  The fisherman hurriedly reeled in thier lines but it was too late–one of the dolphins had been snared.  He dove deep, trying to get away from the hook, then came to the surface to relieve the pain.  Time and again he dove, erach time driving the hook deeper into his mouth.  After a long while the dolphin was finally exhausted and simply swam next to the boat.  Dan moved to the side of the boat near the dolphin and then experienced one of the most amazing moments of his life  The dolphin moved close to the boat and then turned over on his side, exposing the lodged hook protruding from his mouth.  Dan reached out and gently removed the hook.

God desires to use each of us to love and reach out to other youth in such a way that they come to understand that there is “someone in the boat” who is willing and able to remove the force destroying their lives.  As we love them and tell them of the life Christ can provide, the Holy Spirit will work with us, bringing them to a place where they will allow God to “remove the hook.”  When youth hold out the hook (their hurts and needs) we need to be ready to share with them how God can change their lives.