A Refreshing Witness

Proverbs 25:25 states, “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” Most Americans do not realize the privilege in simply having clean, cold water accessible in their home. When I fill a glass of water, to my shame, I hardly ever think about the millions of people who have died because they have no reliable source of water. Of course, in verse 25, Solomon was illustrating a bigger point than just quenching someone’s physical thirst. He revealed that “good news” can be refreshing and reviving to one’s soul.

Do you remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman by the well? He declared, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14).” There are millions of lives spiritually thirsty. They are destitute of the water of everlasting life. They need the love and light of Jesus to quench their dry spirits and refresh their hearts.

In light of this, we must remember that Jesus has commanded every believer to preach and teach the gospel across the world. After all, gospel literally means good news! In essence, when we share the message of Christ, we are giving the thirsty one a “cup of cold water” in His name. Except instead of a cup, it is more like an endless ocean of life & love!

If what we have in Jesus is “…a well of water springing up,” how is it that it does not overflow to others? Perhaps it is because we are like aqueducts, vital in allowing “water” to flow where needed. However, the usefulness of structures could be hindered by heavy debris and broken walls. In the next article, Lord willing, we will be studying deeper into what can “clog” the dispersion of the gospel in the believer. For now, simply remember that a heart of humility is imperative. Paul urged Timothy not to choose a young convert to be a leader within the church, “…lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil (1 Timothy 3:6).” When one’s heart is lifted up in pride, in their lives, the pure flow of the gospel is stifled. Be a humble channel of God’s love. 

Now, lets look at what verse 26 says of Proverbs 25, “A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.” The imagery given, if it was to be transferred into today’s terms, is like a person who is eagerly going to take a drink from a clean water fountain, only to have someone else stick their muddy feet over the spout before they can taste a drop! If verse 25, speaks of restoring a heart with good news, then verse 26 magnifies the fact that when a Christian is living a hypocritical life, it hinders the impact that the gospel can make to others.

Obviously, the whole “do as I say, but don’t do as I do” mentality does not go very far. It shouldn’t. Why would an avid smoker listen to an extremely obese man about how he needs to stop smoking due to health and learn self control? We can tell people that Jesus changes lives until we are blue in the face, but if we are not living out that “change” from day to day, the message will be “lost in translation.”

Call me cynical, but I often see two camps within supposed Christianity. For some people, because of an ever increasing lack of biblical understanding, being a “Christian” simply means that you think Jesus was an upstanding guy. It is commonplace, but not transformative. On the other hand, I have seen people who turn Christianity into a list of rules. They pride themselves in how “godly” they look and “spiritual” they sound, but behind the scenes they indulge themselves in shameful acts.  They treat being a Christian like being on Broadway. Learn your lines, sing your best, put on a good act for everyone watching, and take a bow. When the curtain drops, you have paid your dues to do what you want.

The apostle Peter wrote, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:15-16 / ESV)” We must get back to the understanding that we are living letters of God’s love. We are flowing fountains of His grace to this world, and when we are caught in secret sins, we muddy the gospel waters causing any kind of testimony to stagnate. Ultimately, hypocrisy begins when I live this Christian life in my own way and power. When I stop “abiding” in Christ and stop allowing His Word to penetrate my heart each day. It’s not about looking MY best; it is about CHRIST LIVING THROUGH ME. Christianity only stands out because of CHRIST.