Here's today's real life story [no apologies to those of you that don't value stories] and encouragement from our outreach newsletter ...
So many times during the week I’m reminded about the passage in John 4 where Jesus is talking with a Samaritan woman and teaches her a quick lesson about the difference between Living Water and well water. Well water will never fully quench our thirsty, but Living Water, which is Jesus (as He uniquely confirms in this passage), does.
Today a friend of mine called and updated me on a lady in our community we’re trying to help. She just spent 6 months in our Solomon Program and graduated with flying colors. She worked so hard, did so well.
With help and guidance from people who know a lot about cars, she used her money to purchase a reliable vehicle and is about to begin school so she can get her degree.
But as I always do, I get so hopeful and excited when these physical things line up. So quickly I forget…these things are buckets of well water. And as quickly as things in our physical world can come together, even quicker can they fall apart.
And so as the weeks followed after her Solomon Program graduation, her car was broken into, clothes stolen, money stolen, job lost…and just yesterday, her car broke down.
It’s amazing how hard we try to help people with physical needs. And I think we should. It’s very clear in the bible that we are to fight against the injustice of physical inequality, as much as emotional and spiritual inequalities. We are called to love the marginalized holistically, on all fronts. But to place hope in the physical is where we stumble. To place so much hope in a car not breaking down, or for a job to hold, or for food not to run out…it’s just not smart.
This young lady we’re talking about here accepted Jesus through the Solomon Program. Her mentors served as such a strong Christ-centered witness that she found herself wanting that type of faith for herself. So, she made a decision to live for the Living Water.
Yet here I am on Tuesday morning, bummed, discouraged, and frustrated that her car broke down. Here I am again, still drinking well water.
Doesn’t taste too good.
Let’s drink from the right cup this week.
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