Day 18 - Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

Always Drink and Give…

“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

When I was in high school, I made a study of all the major religions of the world. After all my research and discernment, I learned two major things.  First, all the major faiths of this world, with the exception of Christianity, is works righteous with an orientation toward the self. 

Second, Christianity is the only faith I found made it a point to focus on relationships with our neighbors and people of the world.  I learned that Christianity acknowledges the constant state of our sinfulness and reveals God who, as the Creator, was willing to work with us to help us become a whole being through the death and resurrection of Christ.  One example of that is in the narrative of Jesus sitting at Jacob’s Well with the Samaritan woman. 

During my research I also realized that humans need to interact with other and have deep relationships with others through love, friendship and grace.  Studies have shown that life without personal touch, neighborly interactions and interpersonal interactions rob life of meaning and years.  In the Christian faith, we learn that the living water that Christ offers is not about self-fulfillment or self enlightened but more about selfless relationships and selfless love that matters.

 This narrative reveals the compassion of Christ who understands what humans need and seeks to offer that.  In this text, Christ offers living water to a woman who, as the text reveal, was not living a righteous life.  Yet, Christ still understood what she yearned and wanted.  I have many times felt unmerited mercy and grace and was despised by a group of people (mostly in Vietnam) and knew what it was like when someone graciously acknowledged my suffering and had compassion on me.

This living water that is offered to us is love and grace and it is for our taking but also for our giving.  I believe that the Gifts of God are for us to also give to our neighbors and friends and even strangers.  A Christian life is about providing hope, love and grace to those around us.  When we do that, we are also drinking the living water.  Will you drink with me?

 Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to live in your grace as we provide Your Hope, Love and Peace to those who needs it. Amen.

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