Water Carriers

It’s warming up a bit outside, and the bees are getting excited about working again!

Earlier this week we had bunches of them visiting a moss patch in the yard where hubby had been washing something. What on earth were they there for? There’s no pollen in moss!

Well, thanks to Rusty, a master beekeeper from Washington State, we now know what was going on.

The bees were collecting water to take back to the hive. Not only do bees drink water, they also use it to thin honey stores that have gotten too thick through the cold winter months.

These bees in the video above are water carriers for the day, either until the source is dried up or the hive has enough water for its needs.

Gather water, take it to the hive, repeat.

Living Water Carriers

Have you ever been super stressed about something, spent time with a peaceful friend, and found yourself in a completely different frame of mind when you left? Their calm, soothing way of being rubbed off on you somehow.

Followers of Jesus make time to spend with him, getting filled with the living water of his presence. Not only are they filled, they end up overflowing and sharing his presence with those around them.

Jesus said, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart” (John 7:37b-38 NLT).

We spend time in the presence of Jesus not only for ourselves, but for everyone we come in contact with throughout the day.

This world, this life, is not all about me, and it’s not all about you, either. Shocking, isn’t it? When we forget this little fact, we can quickly begin carrying bitter water around and end up surprised when no one’s interested in having any!

Are we willing to put aside our petty disagreements and trivial desires for the sake of Jesus’ priorities? In case you wonder what they are, this is what he said:

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

How are we doing with living out his priorities? If we’re unsure, here’s a measurement we can use:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

We certainly can’t live all of that out in our own strength. It goes back to spending time in Jesus’ presence every day, getting filled with his Spirit on a daily basis, and submitting to him morning, noon and night.

It looks like the bees have it right: Gather water, take it to the world, repeat.

Now it’s your turn!

I pray that as you spend time with Jesus, he begins to open your eyes to the way you can bring his refreshing presence to the world around you this week. You can make a difference, my friend!