Free Refills: Spread ❤️ Today, It's the Godly Way
When I was younger, most often where I chose to dine was determined by the establishments that provided free refills. Being that I was ballin’ on a budget, I could not afford the refill charge as it was too costly. While that was the case, I knew that I would finish my beverage before my meal was over and still remain thirsty.
Spiritually speaking, I could learn a lot from the version of me that was ballin’ on a budget! As I operate in this world, choosing what I follow, I ought to choose the One that provides “free refills!” I need to plan ahead and correctly conclude that, much like when I dined back then, I will not be able to finish what God has called me to do without being thirsty. Thirsty for love, support, strength, and mercy. I need to also understand that I can’t afford the price, nor do I have the resources to get my own “refill” when my cup is empty in those regards.
Fortunately for all of us, like those restaurants back in the day, through Jesus and the price He paid ahead of time - John 4:13, we have unlimited refills of love, grace, mercy, strength, and whatever else is needed to be fulfilled and to complete His assignments.
While that’s the case, if we choose anything other than Christ as our source to be quenched of our thirsts, as stated in John 4:13, we will soon become thirsty again. It’s the equivalent of choosing to dine at the restaurants I avoided when I was younger, the ones that I knew I would empty my cup prior to completion and there were no free refills when I did not have the funds to purchase another one.
The Good news is, Jesus’ blood paid the price in advance for us to never thirst; all we have to do is choose Him and not the world that will eventually leave us high, dry, and thirsty.
Once we choose Jesus, we can go out into this world and empty our cups of love, grace, strength, resources and talents out into the word around us in need of them! It’s when we choose the world’s cups that we must protect and selectively and minimally ration out love and everything else, because we know that cup is not bottomless. Choosing God’s bottomless cup frees us up to go out into the world and do God’s work - serve one another in love!
Concluding Thought #1 - Back in the day, me and my college teammates loved 🍓 Lemonade. Whenever we’d travel, that was the go-to drink when we’d go out to eat. Upon ordering, we’d always ask if there were free refills. The refill policy informed us of how we drank our drink. If they were not free, we’d drink conservatively. On the other hand, on the rare occasion, we were told that there were free refills, we’d go crazy, and we drank freely empowered by the fact that there was always more where our drink came from. As you go out into this world, I want you to know there’s more love where your love comes from. That being the case, let’s go out into the world and go crazy giving freely!
Concluding Thought #2 - Choosing Jesus as the source of the love we receive is how we are able to love those who are difficult to love, those who do not reciprocate the love we give to them. If I am honest, in the past, the source of my love towards others was the love they gave to me. Being that was the case, I was not able to love them the way God called me to - unconditionally. Now, as I choose Jesus as my source, I am free to love others the way they need to be loved even when they do not give me that love back in return (with boundaries if needed, of course.)
📖 Galatians 5:13 - New Living Translation - 13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
📖Lamentations 3:23-24 - New Living Translation - Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”
📖John 4:13-14 - New Living Translation - Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
📖Philippians 4:19 - New Living Translation - And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
📖Luke 6:38 - The Message - Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”
📖Isaiah 40:31 - New Living Translation - But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.