Water Bearers

This article was written by Tony Kettle my dear friend and brother in Christ who has given me permission to publish it.

Proverbs 11:25 NKJV - emphasis added

”The generous soul will be made rich, And HE WHO WATERS WILL ALSO BE WATERED HIMSELF.”

I recently pondered on the scripture above and the aspect which grabbed my attention is the fact that *”water”* is used biblically as an allusion to God’s Word:

Isaiah 55:10-11 (AMP - emphasis added)

For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without WATERING the earth, Making it bear and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [2 Cor 9:10] SO WILL MY WORD BE which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

2 Corinthians 9:10 (AMP)

10 Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].

1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV - emphasis added)

”I planted, Apollos WATERED, but God gave the growth.”

Ephesians 5:25-26 (NKJV - emphasis added)

”Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD,”

In context, then, the opening scripture tells me that by faithfully sharing our knowledge of God’s Word with other people, our own understanding of His Word is, in turn, increased. This principle is supported by the fact that a number of Bible passages and Christian traditions point out that teaching and sharing truth helps a person learn more. God often rewards active obedience with deeper understanding. This is based on what is called *The Law of Increase*: Jesus taught that those who use and give what they have will receive more:

Matthew 25:20-23, 29 (ESV)

”And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’…

29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance...

Luke 6:38 ESV

”give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.””

Accordingly, let us be diligent and faithful to our Glorious Lord by sharing His Precious Word of Truth - the *”water of life”*(Revelation 22:1) - with others. Because, after all, He first shared the Truth with us (John 1:17-18).

Revelation 22:1 (ESV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

John 1:17-18 (ESV)

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Let us not only be readers of the Word but doers of the Word as well! Let us show ourselves as diligent and approved by God by being Jesus-like to others, practicing what we preach! Using the gifts of the Spirit to build up and edify others!

Romans 12:6-8 (ESV - emphasis added)

”Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; THE ONE WHO TEACHES, IN HIS TEACHING; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

2 Timothy 2:15 (CSB - emphasis added)

”Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, CORRECTLY TEACHING THE WORD OF TRUTH.”

”Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold *WATER*, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus’ name...
Eugene H. Peterson (emphasis added)

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father
I pray that by your Spirit you will help me to be more like Jesus and become an effective "water bearer" in this world. To share your Word with others boldly and to be a doer of the Word myself and not just a reader. Holy Spirit help my to glorify the Name of Jesus in all I do and say! Amen!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!


With love in Christ
Tony Kettle