What You Been Drinking?

By Delta Vines

Water. That word brings many images to mind: refreshment, relaxing, lakes, waterfalls, ocean waves, quenched thirst, rivers, creeks, tap water….

I was laying by a swimming pool in Arizona when I met a lovely family from Great Britain. Immediately the lady and I struck up a conversation as she began talking of the diverse climates and scenery in the United States.  The United Kingdom does not have as extreme a diversity, she explained.  They have cityscapes, and they have hills with pastureland.  It just so happened she and her fmaily raised sheep.  They were quite successful at it as their sheep produced some of the best quality wool used.  It was soft, not scratchy.  Their wool was used to make comfortable material.  I asked her what she and her husband did that resulted in high quality results.

A friend of theirs who raised sheep near London had asked her the same thing, recently. Their friend near London asked if they could take one of her sheep. If the wool did not improve, then she would know the wool was a result of genetics, not environment. They took a sheep, and took care of it just as they did the others. At the first shearing, this sheep had a change in it’s wool! It, too, was soft, and of quality.

“Then what was the difference in the wool of the sheep you raised and the others?”, I asked.

Smiling she said, “We discovered it’s the water they drink!”

Instead of having harsh, processed water as their friends near London do; these people have creeks and rivers from which their sheep drink! The water comes down from the mountains. It runs from springs and over stones in the creek as it makes it’s way to their pasture. Just pure, clear water.

Their input affected their output.

In the same way, human beings are affected by their "input".  If we eat too much, we gain weight.  If we reduce our calories and increase our activity, we lose weight.  If we drink a lot of wine, our perception will be skewed due to being drunk.  If we drink a lot of clean water, it enables our liver and kidneys' work to rid our bodies of impurities.

And those we spend most of our time with will affect our spiritual growth.

"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring."  Proverbs 25:25-26

Good news fulfills a need within us to hope for better.  Be it about a loved one who lives far away; or if it's news that war is over, we are encouraged.  We long for good news.  And when we are thirsty, we long for a nice, cold drink of clean water.  Our spirit is happy, rejoicing in the Lord.

However, if all we have to drink is muddy water from a polluted stream, we do not yearn for it. When a  righteous person is being oppressed or influenced by those who live sinfully, then their ability to do good is compromised or done away with. We do not want to have only dirty water to offer to others.

If we find ourselves with water that has been compromised by the world, (or sin) God has promised to us cleansing water:

" I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols" Ezekiel 36:25

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

How wonderful it is to know we can be cleansed! How great is Our God whose mercies never come to an end! 

Like the sheep of my friends in the U.K., this sheep is ready to produce quality wool (fruit).  Our streams will run clean and clear as we drink of the Lord's living water! 

That's what I be drinking!

@ Delta Vines 2007