Freshwater: Those People

Freshwater

Located in the wilds of Wyoming, the name Freshwater was chosen as a Western analogy to Christ. Just as He is the Living Water, and we must have Him to have eternal life, any desert dweller knows the importance of fresh water to life, both for self, and the nourishment of crops or livestock. By taking nourishment in God and His word, we strengthen our own relationship with Him, our faith, and the quality and abundance of our fruitfulness.

Our keystone verse is from Jeremiah, Chapter 17, Verse 8: "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see whenSave heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

The fruit that we speak of is mentioned in Galatians 5:22
"²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

And the heat could be anything we experience that might test our faith in God; trials and tribulations, relationships, anything that focuses our love and attention anywhere but on Him...

Monday, August 6, 2012

Those People

Yes, you read that correctly. I said "Those People". A friend of ours has a shirt that says "We are those people". This phrase originated with a special church and ministry that was beginning in a town near us. The church had acquired the property, and the men had put in hours of time and work refurbishing the building and making it habitable. It is a ministry for recovering addicts; those recently released from jail, those who are homeless, anyone who is down and ready to turn their life over to Christ. The time there begins with intense Bible study and joining together to do work blessings for others, teaching the men to build a life around Christ and how to be good workers, stewards and managers. The program is open to women too, but we don't have a women's facility here at this time.

The community where they had originally begun the project initially supported the idea, but then mutters and rumblings began to appear. A group finally rose up and said that they thought it was a great thing being done, that it was a great ministry, and they definitely thought it should happen, but they didn't want it there. They weren't comfortable with "those people" in their community. I'm sure you can imagine the anger, the outrage, and the upset feelings. But instead of forcing their way in, the church family went back to their knees, praying about the situation, and God delivered the absolute perfect facility in an area of town where they were not only welcomed, but they were greatly needed.

Our friend had the shirts made as a reminder to love others. To show God's love to everyone, and to treat them with respect and dignity. I know I still sometimes look at people and think that I am better, or they are better, or they think they are better. Yep, I'm definitely not perfect. And I know that they look at me the same way. We are all "those people" to someone else! But it is God's will for us to love everyone equally. He sat at the table with the tax collector, with thieves, with those who the elders of the church deemed unworthy, or unclean. He spoke with the woman the well, the one all the others shunned. And we should too.

Share God's love with others today!

Mark 2:17

¹⁷When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.