A Drink

A DRINK

Jesus was tired, stopped at a well, and waited for someone that could draw some water. A Samaritan woman came and he asked her for a drink and she refused (John 4:4-10). I remember being a refugee on a train packed like sardines and very thirsty. The train stopped briefly and father too got off to get some water and barely managed to get back on the moving train with help from outreached arms pulling him up. Apparently he was being watched and assisted in his effort. Without their help, father would had to follow us on another day with a later train. He returned with a pail of water. How thankful we were, especially mothers and their infants for a drink.

I never asked father where he got the pail and what it cost him to get the water? My spirit was not dampened by the cost or risk father had taken; rather, it was elated that we had a father that could get us water. What we once had taken for granted, had become a matter of special thanks. Hunger had a similar affect on my life. A simple turnip taken from a stranger’s field satisfied a grateful heart. When we had all that we needed, we were remiss of being thankful. It was when we lost everything that gratitude emerged in us for every crumb that was cast our way. During plenty, we lacked the understanding what it really meant to be appreciative for the basics life demands.

In the USA we have so many privileges that we enjoy unnoticed. In a way we are very much like the righteous Pharisee that told God how good he was and the good things he was doing. He compared himself to the no good Publican. It was the sinner that went away justified for recognizing his limitations (Luke 18:9-14). We too suffer from not recognizing our limitations and therefore lose the reason for being thankful for what we have received from the gracious Hand of God. Like the Samaritan woman, we too can change by offering a drink to someone that is truly thirsty (Mark 9:41). There are far too many that hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Can what we offer quench their thirst and be thankful?