LOOK AT THESE WOMEN

What are they doing?

Simply gathering water at the well?



Indulge me for a brief moment and imagine yourself right there among them.



Quiet. Listen... do you hear them?

Do you hear the laughter from those women headed off to the left?

I wonder what happened that was so amusing.



What about the group on the top right... they're gathered together,

most likely praying, encouraging, comforting one another.



Those around the well, do you think the older ones are giving the younger ones advice?

Training them, showing the the way?



Do you think these women look forward to their daily journeys to the well?

The journey where they will see other women, their friends.

The journey during which they share their daily burdens and triumphs.



What if you had a place to go like that?

A place away from the world that sneers at you, laughs at you, keeps you down.

A place to laugh.

A place to encourage and be encouraged.

A place to comfort and be comforted.

A place to share your wisdom and gain from anothers.

A place to teach and a place to learn.

A place to spend time at your Saviors feet.

A place to start your week off right.

A place.... like the well.



Does that sound like a journey you would like to take?

If so, join us on a journey to the well.









RADICAL

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Wise??? Or Clique?

I'm reading One Year with the Women of the Bible devotional.

The other day, my devotion was on the Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids from Matthew 25.
You can read it here.

I do understand the parable Jesus is teaching.  I do.


I understand that possessing the oil for the lamps illustrates the concept of being prepared for Christs return.  The lack of oil... unprepared.
When the door was shut, the foolish virgins where left out because they were not prepared.

I've read this before, but this time somthing about this story struck me.
Perhaps it is due to the fact that I work in an office full of women.
Perhaps it's because God is telling me something.
Perhaps it's because I'm in la-la land and way off base.

But when the foolish virgins approached the wise asking for oil for their lamps and the wise virgins replied no, lest there should not be enough for us, and you...  I couldn't help but wonder, when they all left to meet the bridegroom, why didn't the wise virgins tell the foolish virgins to get oil for their lamps? 
Surely they noticed the were leaving with out it.

It made me think of here and now.  We that are wise, can see that the foolish are not prepared.
Are we telling them?  Or are we letting them go un-prepared to meet the Bridegroom?
Knowing one day Christ will return, and they are not prepared... are we recomending that they get 'oil for their lamps'?
Or are we wise virgins hanging around in a little clique (a narrow exclusive circle or group of persons; especially : one held together by common interests, views, or purposes) ignoring those who are perishing around us? 
Even as well meaning, God loving, Christ following Christians, we can miss the mark.
We can get into cliques, and only hang with other like-minded people where we're in our comfort zone.
But how wise is that?

So, there's my first "Wednesday at the WELL" post!
I hope you've enjoyed your time at the WELL with me and I hope you'll share with me what God shows you from this passage.  I may be way off base.  I don't mean to twist scripture or anything of the sort.  It's just when I read those verses the other day, I just got a vivid picture of the possible clique going on and how easy it is to fall into that trap today.  Not sharing our wisdom.

If nothing else... I hope this has inspired you to read the passage for yourself and ponder what it's saying to you!
I hope you journey to the WELL with me next Wednesday!
Have a great week my friend!
Joy
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