"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" - Luke 6:38 (NIV). 

Fetching water from a spring well is a very fascinating experience- especially if you have grown up in a home with running water. There it is quite clear of the source seeing water pipes connected by the water authority. Sometimes there might be a water tank that taps rain water, and the source is also very certain.

However, when you go down to a spring well, there are no pipes or tanks connected. This water is released from the ground. But what can be puzzling even after drawing it the well is quickly filled. Maybe during the dry season it could suffer a dry patch. But on the whole the more you draw water out of a spring well the more it is filled. It never dries.

This puzzle in many ways applies to the gifts we have received from God, like money. One may hold on to a gift of money or, any other, considered scarce, because after analyzing the source and its limitations, it matters to be careful. The source may one day dry up, hence better be careful.

In the rural areas many villagers do not have a sophiscated knowledge of the source of spring water. All they know it flows from somewhere and there is a provider behind. Any time one can go down to fetch water from a spring well and fill his bucket. No villager is conservative when it comes to sharing water with a neighbour because he is certain of the provider. That provider never lets any down by always releasing fresh water from the well. And do you know what, less troubled and assured of the constant provision from the provider, many rural folks live quite happy, if not happier lives!

May this be our attitude with gifts from God, like money. For "Freely you have received; freely give" (Mathew 10:8). The provider, who ensures the spring wells never dry up, will always provide!

Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy to know you are a provider and so help me to be free with sharing the gifts you have blessed me with for you always provide, this I pray in Jesus's name.