Obey Your Thirst...Not!

The story is told of a man who got lost in a desert. This weary traveler became exceedingly thirsty to the point of total desperation. You can only imagine his relief when he stumbled upon a shack in which there was a water pump. Beside the pump was a small jug of water, and beside the small jug was a note saying, “Do not drink this water. Instead, pour it into the pump to prime it, and then you will have all the water you will need.” So the man was faced with a choice. Should he settle for the guaranteed momentary relief by drinking the small jug full of water, or would he dare to believe what was promised in the letter? If he put the water into the pump to prime it, he may risk the prospect of dying of thirst when he didn’t have to. What do you suppose he did? He took the risk, and to his immense relief the pump worked, and he got all the water he really needed.

Then he saw how the note ended saying, “After you have finished, please re-fill the jug for the next traveler.” At which point he realized that had he simply drunk the water, not only would he himself have had so much less than he eventually had, but how many other future travelers would not have found any water there with which to prime the pump for themselves. Because it only took one traveler to defer obeying his thirst, meant that there would be more jugs of water for the next one to prime the pump.

As students of the Bible, thirsting after the truth, we have a God-given responsibility to exercise the practice of ‘priming the pump.’ As we tread the pages of Scripture we will encounter ‘wells of truth’ along the way. As we discover these welcome oases in our journey, know that there have been others who have gone before us. They partook of the water by priming the pump with a small portion of water left behind by another traveler and likewise set aside a small portion for others. Don’t be content to quench your dying thirst with the small portion of water that others have left behind. You will do well by overcoming your immediate instinct to satisfy your parched throat. Instead, know that by faith, pouring the precious portion of truth to prime the pump would well up in an abundance of water from the source of all truth—God promises that you will have more than enough.

By this example of scriptural stewardship, I encourage you to do your part in the study of God’s word. By all means, prime the pump as to allow the truth to well up to the surface and enjoy all the thirst-quenching water of the Word you need. Yet be mindful to record your findings, the fruit of your study, so as to leave it behind for other thirsty travelers. In this way we can pass-on the truths we have discovered from the scriptural well. Fellow traveler, may the outcome of your unique journey be a perpetual blessing to you as you also continue to freely bless others with your treasure of discovered truth. Remember the master’s lesson in the ‘parable of the talents’ when he said, “For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away” (Mt 25:29).

© 2009, Gicky Soriano. All rights reserved.