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| Written By Charles Spurgeon |
We are here taught the
great lesson, that to get, we must give; that to accumulate, we must scatter;
that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that in order to
become spiritually vigorous, we must seek the spiritual good of others. In
watering others, we are ourselves watered. How? Our efforts to be useful, bring
out our powers for usefulness.
We have latent talents
and dormant faculties, which are brought to light by exercise. Our strength for
labour is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture forth to fight the
Lord's battles, or to climb the mountains of difficulty. We do not know what
tender sympathies we possess until we try to dry the widow's tears, and soothe
the orphan's grief. We often find in attempting to teach others, that we gain
instruction for ourselves. Oh, what gracious lessons some of us have learned at
sick beds!
We went to teach the
Scriptures, we came away blushing that we knew so little of them. In our
converse with poor saints, we are taught the way of God more perfectly for
ourselves and get a deeper insight into divine truth. So that watering others
makes us humble. We discover how much grace there is where we had not looked
for it; and how much the poor saint may outstrip us in knowledge.
Our own comfort is also increased by our
working for others. We endeavour to cheer them, and the consolation gladdens
our own heart. Like the two men in the snow; one chafed the other's limbs to
keep him from dying, and in so doing kept his own blood in circulation, and
saved his own life. The poor widow of Sarepta gave from her scanty store a
supply for the prophet's wants, and from that day she never again knew what
want was. Give then, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed
down, and running over.
He that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Proverbs 11:25
Proverbs 11:25
