Watering Like God

As we gave away the school supplies, I was proud of brothers and sisters for they were doing it with pure and gentle heart as the Father would do. What we give or relate to people is important but it has to be through the godly spirit. What is related to a person could be the same but the way it is done could be different; what is seen in that could be the same but the spirit could be way different. Some may do it just for their gains; Christians do it for the person’s own best. Some may do it just for selfish reasons; Christians do it for the person, even investing himself and/or his property. What is given is like water to a plant but how it is done is watering. Water is the same but watering could be various. Careless and violent watering may ruin the garden. In this sense, what matters in Christian work is not only the water but also the watering. Watering like God does is the best.

God waters for all, even His enemies (Matt. 5:45). His watering is not just giving water to His obedient children; it is also to give subsistence to rebellious ones. These are those who disown His name, scoffs His Son’s death on the cross. Many of them would kill the Son again and again in hostility. How could a father give subsistence to the robber who just killed his son and is still not repentant of it. That is God’s watering. Rain drops contains the same water, yet those to the wicked are the evidence of His loving Spirit. In such love, He is waiting for them and giving them time to escape from the scary day of judgment at the end (Rom. 2:4).

Some people think that the way they do doesn’t matter as long as what they related is the gospel. Apostle Paul said it was okay when some preached the gospel not from pure heart but from rivalry (Phil. 1:17). But he was not saying that it was not a sin—their intention was not pure but to afflict the apostle even when he was in prison for the gospel. He was just looking at the positive side out of their negative deeds. According the apostle, they would not have gained anything for their salvation though they preached the gospel for they were not doing it in pure love (1 Cor. 13:1-3; 1 Tim. 1:5). Some of their audience might have received the gospel through them, but mixed with defects, like a food with germs. No one would like to eat a delicious food in unwashed dishes and with unclean fork and knife. As well as making the delicious food, setting it on the clean dishes is what should be done by a good host. Otherwise the dinner would be terrible and scary.

I was so proud of my brothers and sisters as they served the kids and their parents with the school supplies, hotdogs, and some necessities. They did it with such love and kindness. What was given away to them were not only the gospel and the goods but also the godly caring concern for them. They watered to this community, especially the young kids as God would do.