Keep the Pour Going

When I first met my husband’s sisters, they gave me the nickname Mary Poppins. Not because I was practically perfect in every way, but because I seemed to have anything and everything that anyone might possibly need in my average-sized purse. Safety pin? Sure thing – what size? Tweezers? Gotcha covered. Brush, mirror, bobby pin, ChapStick, lotion, pens, notepad, Bible, mints, gum, Q-tips, Band-Aids, aspirin, wipes, Tiger balm, floss picks… and that’s just scratching the surface. I now have a collection of polished rocks, a thumb drive, a micro-sized GI-Joe, and a mini-Jesus. I do have kiddos, remember?

I was never a Girl Scout, but I am always trying to be as prepared as I can possibly be – for anything, seen and unforeseen. I wore that Mary Poppins nickname as a badge of pride – I was able to help in someone’s time of need. I had what they needed! It feels good to help others, right? So, imagine my surprise when Jesus sends His 12 best buddies out to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, and proclaim the kingdom of God is at hand… and tells them to take nothing with them for the journey (Matthew 10:5-15, Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-6). What? This messed with me more than I care to admit.

We travel quite a bit, and as a family of 6, we usually have a significant load of things we want and need. Clothing, food, and even bedding are the main items we pack for each trip. I also face a Sophie’s choice when deciding which Bible and book to take. If there’s choppy internet, I want my keyword Bible, but it’s also handy to have my study Bible… what about the one that has the great reference section? It’s always a bit of a dilemma. But Jesus told His guys to take nothing with them – not even an extra set of clothes!

There is wisdom in being prepared. The book of Proverbs is full of verses that share the wisdom in being prepared (a childhood favorite is Proverbs 6:6-8). A popular quote by Benjamin Franklin is: By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Wise words, right? Even the secular world states that we need to be prepared. But then why did Jesus tell His disciples to take nothing?

I spent a bit of time thinking on this, listening to commentaries and sermons with this as the theme, but I kept coming back to Psalm 91. Take a moment to read through this passage. Notice that resting in God is the safest place to be. Finding shelter in Him – trusting Him – gives us everything we need. Another favorite passage, Matthew 6:25-34, tells us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first… then everything we need will be provided.

I tend to get caught up in the weeds from time to time. Anyone can easily look at this and come to the conclusion that Jesus obviously is telling us that we don’t need to work. That really doesn’t make sense when the Bible also tells us that God will abundantly bless what we put our hand to (Deuteronomy 30:9) and that anyone who doesn’t work shouldn’t eat (II Thessalonians 3:10). We aren’t called to be lazy. We aren’t called to be waited on. We are called to serve others.

When Jesus sent out the disciples, He first gave them power to heal as well as authority over all demons. Jesus gave them the power and authority. They didn’t have that prepacked anywhere in their purse. God was going to get the glory for any miracles that would be done. But if that weren’t enough, He was going to bolster their faith by providing for them shelter, food, water, and clothing. All of the power, all of the authority, and all of the glory – to God.

When I earned my Mary Poppins nickname, I felt so good about myself. I loved that I had been needed, that I was able to help in someone’s time of need (even if it was just providing a safety pin), and it gave me a sense of belonging. For all of the disciples, I bet they needed some things as they traveled. I bet people gave them a place to stay, fed them, and perhaps they even had some clothing mended. I bet those people who ministered to the disciples did so with joy and felt a sense of renewed purpose because now they were helping to grow the kingdom.

It’s awesome when people that have been ministered to respond by ministering to others. It grows community, it builds friendships, and when we’re trusting God, it strengthens and grows the church. There’s a palpable excitement when we get to be part of what God is doing. When God pours so generously into us, we’re supposed to pour into others as well. It is a form of rejuvenation – remember, Jesus ministered to the Samaritan woman and was refreshed (John 4:7-42) – and the pour continued throughout the city!

Jesus spent time with the disciples before sending them out. They had been poured into by being with Him, learning from Him, and witnessing miracles. And Jesus sent them out to pour into others. And we’re called to keep the pour going.

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38 NLT

Our time with God is imperative for our being willing and able to pour into others. We can’t pour from an empty cup. Get into the Word, tune into a pastor who points people to Jesus and His loving sacrifice, worship the Creator like no one is watching. Be filled – pressed down, shaken together, and running over – so that pouring out is effortless and without hesitation. Imagine a church with people so full that they’re pouring in all directions – in the stores, in the streets, in their workplace, in the schools – all to God’s glory.

Take a moment here and think back to when someone poured into you. Maybe they spent a day helping you move, maybe they provided a meal when you were sick, or maybe it was something less extravagant – like waving you into traffic. Or perhaps they provided a safety pin when the need arose. Tell me about a pour experience – received or given. It’s a testimony of God’s faithfulness that will pass on some encouragement. When Jesus sends you to it, He’ll provide you through it. We can trust Him to fill us as He directs us to pour into others.