It was Jesus’ custom to draw spiritual lessons from the things surrounding
him and by some similitude impress upon his hearers a profitable truth; so
we may get many valuable thoughts from the simple things of every-day
life. The articles mentioned in the heading bring to my mind pictures of
two classes of people.
The most noticeable feature of a sponge is its power of absorbing a liquid
and retaining it within itself. If dipped in or placed in contact with a
liquid, it will absorb several times its weight. Some people are like
sponges. They go to meeting and drink in the truth time after time. They
love it. It delights their hearts. They love the singing, the preaching,
the testimonies, and the prayers. They absorb and absorb, but, like the
sponge, they give out nothing. The sponge gives up what it has taken in
only when it is subjected to pressure. So it is with these human sponges.
While they love to listen, they have to be urged to do anything. They
testify only when they feel duty-bound to do so or when they are urged by
somebody else. They rarely pray in meeting. They are among the last in all
such things. To go where a congregation are mostly sponges is to find a
few having all to do and to find a dull, insipid meeting. Wet sponges will
not burn. Neither will the fire of God burn in a congregation of sponges.
A preacher may be full of fire, but he can not set sponges burning. Do you
have to be urged to testify? Are you ready to pray or do whatever you can
in the meeting? Do you love to talk to people about salvation? or do you
speak of it only when some one else starts the conversation? Do you have
to be constantly urged to do your duty? Are you a sponge?
A watering-can is different. It too will take in to its full capacity;
but, as soon as it is turned in the right position, it freely gives out
again. Streams of cooling, refreshing water fall on the thirsty plants.
The drooping flowers raise again their heads to blush in beauty, and their
fragrance floats out on the balmy air once more. A delicious coolness
surrounds the place, and we delight to be there. While the sponge
represents the selfish class, the watering-can represents the
open-hearted, cheerful giver—one who is ready to pass on the good things
and who in return reaps the promise, “He that watereth shall be watered
also himself.” If the watering-can is emptied, does not the gardener fill
it again, and with fresh water? So, if we are pouring out to others, we
shall be filled anew. We shall not be empty, but fresh and rich in our
souls with the water of life. The great Gardener fills us that we may pour
out to others, not simply that we may be filled ourselves. It is said of
Jesus that he “emptied himself” (Revised Version.) He became poor that
through his poverty we should be made rich.
O beloved, God wants us to be “ready unto every good work.” Do not be a
sponge. Do not have to be pressed into duty. Do not live in yourself and
for yourself. Be no longer content with drinking in. Begin to pour out. Be
ready to do your part in meeting, yea everywhere. Be ready to water
others. The world is indeed “thirsty ground.”
A sponge, if left to itself, gives out by evaporation until it becomes
hard and dry; and in such a state it is useless. Many people have drunk in
the truth and delighted in it, but instead of pouring out to others, that
they might be refilled, they have just given out by evaporation until they
have become dry and formal and lifeless. That is the usual result with
spiritual sponges. Who are those who are fat and flourishing, those who
have showers of blessings? Are they the sponges? Nay, verily. “Give, and
it shall be given.” “It is more blessed to give [to be a watering-can]
than to receive [to be a sponge].”
Now, face the question squarely. Which of these things are you? Look over
the past year. Have you been ready for duty? Is your testimony always
“ripe”—ready for the opportunity? Are you ready for service of any kind?
If you have been a sponge, quit being one. Quit now. Get God to make
something better of you. If we are not now sponges, we can soon become so
by neglect of duty. The only safe way is to keep pouring out.