Murky Waters

“A righteous man who falters before the wicked
is like a murky spring and a polluted well.”
Proverbs 25:26

When a believer is out among the wicked, he must not forget whom he represents. Unbelievers watch him, hoping he will do wrong so that they might mock him and his walk with the Lord. How often have we heard someone say with scorn, “and he’s SUPPOSED to be a Christian!” They delight in seeing a believer stumble.

Believers are called to drink from the living waters found only in Christ. Only if the believer abides in Christ will he have these rivers of living water flowing from within. Neglect will result in polluted waters. Clean, healthy, living water comes only from the source God has provided.

“’If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 7:37-38

This does not happen automatically. To maintain the stream, the believer has to be drinking, or else the stream will dry up and when the stream dries up, he will have murky waters and a polluted well. Anyone watching such a one will find that the well is foul and they will turn away, no one wants to draw from a well of polluted water. They will be repulsed by the murky waters and will turn and mock the one whose waters should be clean and flowing with life.

So how does one abide in Christ?

It’s all about the Word of God. Just as a person has to eat to maintain life and health of the body, so in like manner he has to nourish his spirit or his spirit will grow faint. Murky. God has shown us that the nourishment for the spirit of man is his Word, the Bible. The Word of God is alive, it gives life to the one abiding in it. Just as when you eat, you don’t worry how the nutrients will nourish your body, you just eat - in like manner, when you take in the Word of God, you don’t worry about how it’s going to nourish you, you just take it in.

“For the word of God is LIVING and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword...”
Hebrews 4:12

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.
The Words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
John 6:63

Come to the waters and drink; abide in the Word of God. Read it daily, slowly, carefully, take it in and let the Word of God nourish you and then out of your heart will flow living water to sustain you so that your life will be vibrant with the Spirit of God and those who are around you will see the Lord in all you do.