Refreshing

Proverbs 11:25

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Our culture teaches us to be consumers. Our culture teaches us to put our needs before the needs of others, or in other words, “Me, me, me, it’s all.

This scripture directly opposes that thought by stating, “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Another translation puts it like this, “Generosity will be rewarded. Give a cup of water, and you will receive a cup of water in return.”

Picture the Dead Sea, if you will. You have a good size body of water that has a couple of rivers and streams that pour into it. However, it lacks the one thing that brings life, and that is an outlet. Since there is no outlet, the Dead Sea lacks the ability to sustain any type of life. I believe sometimes this is a problem we all face. We have all these good streams pouring into us: Sunday worship service, our Bible reading plan, our small groups connections, etc. Sometimes we forget about the pouring out, the investing in the lives of other people, and thus become stagnant.

Let’s look at a day in the life of Jesus. He would rise early, spend time with the Father (getting filled), and then he would spend the rest of the day pouring out into the lives of a hurting world.

How are you feeling today? Are you tired, burnt out? Do you need a refreshing? If so, I encourage you to look beyond your circumstances and find someone to pour into. The grumpy guy you work with, your wife, your husband, your barista, your children, your pastor, your neighbor whose dog uses your yard as a restroom everyday. Today, let’s be like Jesus and lay aside our own agenda and desires to focus on the needs of those around us. Then, sit back and watch how Jesus, in turn, pours out and refreshes you!