Todd and our youngest ventured out on a canoe trip this past weekend. We loaded them up, and then I dropped them off and watched as they paddled down the Wabash river. The Wabash was actually named after a Miami Indian word which means, "it shines white" or "pure white."
Well, as you can see from the picture above, it's not white. It's a dirty 'ol river, but it flows, and after snow melt or heavy rains, it flows fast.
When the levels are particularly high, it overflows its banks, and as it recedes, it leaves behind pools of dirty water that become stagnant, and over time they can really begin to stink. Nothing flowing in, nothing flowing out. Stagnant.
Ya' know our lives can be like a flowing river. The blessings flow in, and the blessings flow out. Sometimes, though, I've become more concerned about what I'm taking in, than what I'm giving out, and guess what? I can get a little stinky too! We weren't meant to be isolated ponds, but rivers of the water of life flowing, intermingling, and connecting with others.
In Luke 12:48, Jesus said that those who are given much will have much required of them. I'm venturing to say most of us fit in that category of being given much. Wouldn't you?
So where does that leave us? A kind word, a meal, free babysitting, a listening ear - where do we start? So many things to give way. Flowing river? I think YES!
Click here for an awesome song called Changed by Aaron Niequist which drives this message home.
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Yes, we have been given so much. Today I will be praying about ways I can give of myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder!