These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. (Titus 3:8)
The hot sun pushed daggers into their weary flesh as they continued to dig. This was becoming a much more complex project than they had envisioned. Truly, through all the preparation meetings, fundraising efforts, and travel to this remote location, Ethan hadn’t conceived how hard this work might be. He wasn’t sure his body would recover, but he pressed on. He had looked into the eyes of the people in this village, and their grateful gaze transcended language.
The team kept digging through the long hours of each day, then providing community education while the well’s concrete platform dried. In the cooler evenings, they ran around with soccer balls and children with infectious joy. Ethan’s sheer exhaustion was threatening to take over on the project’s capstone day. The sun bore down at over 110 degrees while they installed the hand pump. When the long-awaited water finally began to flow, it was outmatched by shouts of praise from everyone around. Ethan sank back against a tree, completely worn out.
His eyes opened when he felt a cool drip on his foot. Right in front of him were the dusty hands of a five-year-old, holding out a cool drink. Rather than taking one for himself, this little one had first brought a cup to him, and Ethan wept at the child’s selflessness.
Spend God’s love lavishly on people; you will never be the same.
Elizabeth Rhyno is passionate about seeing people spiritually formed in worship. Wife to Scott and mom to three awesome teens, Elizabeth sees life as a joy journey.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
