My sons were invited to a birthday party at a skating rink. Immediately I was taken back to middle school, back when rollerblades were the best thing ever. My brother could rollerblade. So could all my friends. But I never quite mastered rollerblading.

As I watched the skill levels of the skaters at the birthday party, I remembered how good my friends were. They were the ones who got in trouble from the police for skating down handrails and leaping over trashcans at fast speeds downtown. I tried to keep up with them at times, but in the end, I knew I could never skate like they could.

It was interesting watching the different levels at the party. The beginners held on to these little roller walkers that helped steady them as they learned how to skate. Then there were the ones who didn’t need a skate walker but stayed close to the edges and moved carefully and slowly. Some graduated to a steady pace, but still lost their balance and had to find a wall or stop altogether. A few consistently tried, fell often, but never quit. Then there were the ones who confidently skated around, often helping others as they not only skated, but skated backward with finesse.

We all skate through life in different ways, don’t we? Some are still learning, others are confident. Some need help, while others keep pushing. So many different personality types and all at different places in life. No matter our age or background, all of us are somewhere on this growth continuum of human existence.

In Philippians 3:16, Paul says, “In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.” All of us have not attained the same level of understanding and often we mistakenly assume that others should know better or be at the same place we are in life. We must remember, just like the different levels of skaters, we are all at different life levels too.

As you go about your week, consider the different levels that surround you. Be mindful. Don’t assume. And remember we are all skating through life at our own pace, based on our own level of understanding. Let’s encourage those around us and when we are feeling extra confident, lend a hand to someone who might be struggling. We never know when we will be the ones who might need that hand in return.