Living Water

Matthew 10:40-42 (Reward for Hospitality)

“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me… And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

John 4:4-26, Jesus with the Samaritan Woman at the Well

“When the Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me something to drink?”

At Manna House, in addition to the coffee that we serve each day, we also serve water. In the winter there is a small pitcher of water on the coffee serving table and guests generally help themselves. Cold water in the midst of cold weather is not that appealing.

In the summer months, however, we set up a five gallon water cooler on its own table, and we have a volunteer serve the water. Sometimes we even turn the water into Kool-Aid or Gatorade, not through a miracle, but through the more mundane method of mixing the water with one of those tasty additives.

Cold water in the heat of summer is not only refreshing, it is life-giving. And serving cold water is one way we are blessed to live the Gospel at Manna House. Jesus lived in a climate that in the summer was not as humid as Memphis but certainly was as hot. It is no wonder that he focused more than a few times on getting thirsty folks or himself some water to drink. He even made sharing something to drink with a thirsty person part of the standard by which we will be judged by God (Matthew 25:35, 42).

When we are serving cold water in the summer, I like to advertise our water to our guests. I like to invite them to drink not only coffee but water. I’ve never been a coffee drinker and in the summer it is important to stay properly hydrated. Water does a much better job of hydrating people than coffee.

A few days ago, in my invitation to our guests to drink water I drew upon the story of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well. “Come get some water.” I said, “It is not living water, so you will thirst again, but it is water that will help you live.”

A little later, reflecting with one of our volunteers, I shared that our guests are actually the living water for us. As Jesus promised in Matthew 25, when we serve those who are thirsty by giving them something to drink, we are serving him. And, as Jesus promised in Matthew 10:40-42 when we offer hospitality we receive him and we receive the very presence of God. Our lives are transformed by the sharing of water with those who are thirsty because those who are thirsty are living water, the very presence of God in our lives.

This is what is often difficult to believe or understand for people who do not share in the life-giving joy of hospitality: in giving we receive. In fact, in giving we receive much more than we ever give.

Kathleen Kruczek, with whom I serve as co-director of Manna House, has observed that our guests bring to us their best. Out of their suffering, their brokenness, their struggles with physical and mental illnesses and addiction, and the daily indignities and injustices done to them, they come to Manna House and give us their best.

They put up with the further indignities we impose upon them (some by necessity but indignities nonetheless): waiting in line to sign up for socks and hygiene items or a shower, waiting in line for a cup of coffee, being told “no” to any variety of requests because we simply cannot do all that is needed, being told “no” to even getting socks because the list is full.

Yet they come and they share with us stories, laughter, sorrows, hopes, smiles. They ask us to pray with them and for them. They put up with my bad jokes and my worse singing. They come and give us their best, they give us living water.

A few years back, one of our volunteers, Dave Adams, testified how he received this living water from our guests. He told how he came to Manna House really suffering from a painful headache and backache. In fact, due to some injuries suffered several years back, he often came to Manna House physically aching. But he shared that each time that he comes and he is sharing coffee or water or clothing with our guests, those ailments go away. His headache and backache give way in the face of the living water of our guests.

I have to confess that at the time he shared his testimony I didn’t really believe him. But yesterday morning I came to Manna House suffering from food poisoning. Starting around one in the morning everything began to come up and out of me. I didn’t sleep well and I certainly didn’t feel well. I wouldn’t have even gone in but Kathleen was out of town and I was afraid we’d be shorthanded on volunteers. Besides, I needed to at least get the coffee started. I prayed before I left my house, “Please God, let me not throw up or crap in my pants.”

By the time we opened I was feeling better. God answered my prayer. The guests provided living water, and the water in the water cooler provided re-hydrating water.

I’m not claiming that Manna House will take away everyone’s suffering and pain. I am claiming that God gives us a taste of the Kingdom when we are there. I am claiming that Jesus keeps his promises, that when we serve the thirsty we serve him and we receive living water. I know this is hard to believe. I can hardly believe it myself. But with Jesus, I’ll just say, “Come and see” (John 1:39).