Water others

Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

"If you are in this world, one day you will need a miracle from God," were some of the phrases used by Kathryn Khulmann. You don't need to bury yourself in the sand also to know that if others are in trouble, you too will be in trouble some day and you will need a hand to rescue you. But who rescues you if you have not been persistently rescuing others? Some even brag about not being helpers to others!

The word watering used in this version is used in other versions as refreshing, blessing, helping etc. Jerry Savelle calls it the law of refreshing. African societies normally do what we call tit for tat. If deaths have been happening in your village where you reside and you have not been part of those attending burials, when a death happens in your family, no one turns up! If they do turn up, they don't do much because when the deaths were happening in other people's homes, you behaved like it would never happen to you. This is the same when it comes to other functions like weddings etc. If you have been generous, men will reward you with their time, money when your time of need comes. 

What does that teach you? That whatever good act you do such as giving, men are watching, God too is watching above all. So you will reap what you sow. It's bad when people around know you for being a mean person. Let me tell you, no man will give you any help when you need it. 

Church has so many activities that need money. There are those as a pastor whom you count on that when called upon to contribute they will try their level best to contribute something even though not big enough. Then there are those you know will resent to any form of contribution. Little do they forget that they are sowing bad seeds in their future. Generous believers are a delight to the pastors because they lighten the burden of the church. Like Paul, why wouldn't the pastor pray for them everytime he thinks about them, 1 Thesalonians 1:2-3?

I am a parent but I take delight in a child who is obedient than that who is not. The obedient and disobedient ones are all my children but the obedient ones carry a special place in your heart. 

There are also church members who aren't generous with their time. Everytime you ask them to do something or go somewhere they always tell you they are busy or give you a big excuse. And they tell it to you so strongly that you even never try to engage them in future! You can tell from a person's response whether they are really into something or not. I have had the privilege of learning flexibility from Pr David Ankunda. He always taught us to drop everything you are doing at the instruction of your leader and then attend to your staff afterwards. He always taught that you cannot keep your pastor waiting. This has helped me even at my workplace. When my boss tells me to do something, I don't dillydally. Instantly I obey because of the training I got from church. Why wouldn't I get promoted when the opportunity comes around? Another man of God, Papa Deo Laughter Nyero said something I will never forget, "never let your leader instruct you twice for the same thing." He should only speak once and you obey instantly! It's a pity that as a pastor you have to repeat yourself hundreds of times on a matter for people to change yet there are those who are quick at obeying and this brings joy and refreshing to you. Some who don't want to do something actually tell you, "let me pray about it and get back to you pastor." By the time I ask you to do something, I have already heard God about it, so simply obey! 

I have heard people say, "Pastor may God bless you." Technically speaking, you can't really bless your pastor them by such a prayer. Anointings and blessings flow from the head downwards. Instead you can bless them through your generosity in terms of money, time and instant obedience to instructions. Bishop Gerald Mwebe always tells us that when you see people behaving a certain way in church, all he worries about is the future of such a one's children or grand children because they are sowing bad seeds for their future. 

Child of God, don't think that all your needs will be met by working harder and harder or by borrowing from friends, banks or financial institutions. That's being one dimensional in your thinking. God is able to meet your needs by people watering your needs when you need the watering because you have been watering them also or others.