One of
the promises made by our newly elected president was that he would go to
Washington and drain the swamp. People seemed
to like that idea and it was chanted at the president’s rallies. There is a sense that our government has become
corrupt, dishonest and untrustworthy, and that Washington has become a swamp, a
nasty place filled with greed and egocentricity. The mental picture is one of a filthy putrid stagnant
swamp that needs to be drained and fresh clean water brought in.
There
is an old saying attributed to an English historian, commonly known as Lord Acton that
says, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
Even if
that Washington DC swamp could be drained, it would be impossible to find fresh
clean water if that means finding perfect people. There are none. All people are flawed and all are affected by
power. Lord Acton’s quote fits all
except one man, Jesus Christ. His power,
His authority, His position as King of kings did not corrupt.
There
is however this encouraging promise that Jesus gives us. It is found in John
chapter 4. This scripture tells us about
when Jesus met and spoke with a Samaritan woman. (This is quite interesting because there was a
divide between men and women and there was a divide between Jews and Samaritans.) The customary separations did not deter Him. He met her beside a well as she came to draw
water. He surprised her when He asked
her for a drink.
It wasn’t
Jesus who was in need though. He gave this
woman some good news, news that would help her drain her own swamp. Jesus knew all about her personal swamp. (And
He knows all about our swamps, yours and mine.)
He knew about all the murky feelings, the failures, the pain, all those
past husbands and the fact that she was living with a man who was not her
husband. He said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give
Me a drink,” you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” She didn’t quite understand what He
was saying to her. Then, referring to
the well they stood beside, He told her, “Whoever
drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I
shall give him will never thirst. But
the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water
springing up into everlasting life.”
There
are many swamps that need to be drained and fresh pure water brought in. This starts with individuals. Our hearts and minds and words and actions
can become like swamps. Drain the swamp
and fill it with what Jesus has to offer, living water.
It could be our homes that have swamps that need to be drained. Our homes have become filled with
filthy songs and movies and magazines and then we hope for our children to embrace
purity and good. If your home houses pornography
you need to drain your swamp.
For all
the swamps that exist in our hearts, our homes and our cities and governments there is only one answer. It is the
living water that Jesus promised. The
enemy offers swamp water. Jesus offers
living water.
If you have been blessed to have found this living water then take your cue from Jesus don't let cultural or racial divides keep you from sharing the message of living water. Jesus didn't even let the woman's sinful lifestyle deter Him from sharing the answer to her need. Don't be like the enemy....be like Jesus.
