Living Water
John Crosby
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. John 7:37-39
Water, especially drinking water, is one of our planet's most valuable resources. Throughout history, man has developed communities around sources of drinking water. Access to clean drinking water has clearly proven to be an essential element of any sustainable community. Whole communities have been lost as a result of losing their supply of drinking water.
If the sustainability of a community is at risk when access to drinking water is limited, how much is at risk when Christian leaders fail to share living water within our organizations? We have been entrusted with shaping the character and influencing the future of the people we lead. God entrusted us with team members and opportunities, and he empowered us with his Spirit. When we spend time in his Word and in prayer, he refreshes and rehydrates us, preparing us for anything our opposition can offer. He says above that "living water will flow from us." When we lose interest in him and make excuses, we compromise his trust and offer unsteady, unclear, weak, and often selfish leadership. If you take your calling to lead seriously, make it a point to never address your team members before getting refreshed and rehydrated.
From Called to Lead: 52 Weekly Devotions for Workplace Leaders, by John Crosby