In my study I have a drawer that contains snippetts, readings and so on, that I have collected from various sources over the years of my ministries. I am not a good filer but at times I do sit on the floor, and with the radiator to my back and sort and sift.
It was way back, one Sunday in the 80`s when as a member of the congregation in our Rochdale Unitarian Church I listened to the service leader as he took the following `thought` as his main reading. The writer and source are unknown to me. It greatly stirred and influenced me in my ministries. Here it is.
There are two inland seas in the course of the River Jordan. One is fresh. Fish are in it. Splashes of green adorn its banks. Trees spread their branches over it and extend their roots to its healing waters. Along its shores children play. It is called The Sea Of Galiliee.
The River Jordan flows on south from this to another sea. Here there is no splash of fish, no song of birds, no childrens laughter.Travellers choose another route, unless on urgent business.The air hangs heavy about its waters and neither beast nor foul will drink. So what makes the difference in these neighbouring seas?
This is the difference; The Sea Of Galilee receives but does not keep water from The River Jordan. For every drop that flows into it another flows out. The giving and receiving go on in equal measure. The other sea hoards its income and is not tempted into any generous impulse. Every drop of water it get it keeps. The Sea Of Galilee gives and lives. The other sea gives very little.
I wonder if this is why it is called The Dead Sea ?
On the other hand, historically the Dead Sea has been extremely important for its main product: Salt. The use of salt in food preservation made the Dead Sea an important site. Even now, Dead Sea salt is mined, and the Dead Sea is useful in medical treatment of various ailments. Floating in brine water can be very therapeutic.
ReplyDeleteA great analogy with our lives, Ann. The more we give the more we receive!
ReplyDeleteA fantastic analogy. And of course the Dead Sea is the traditional site of Sodom and Gomorrah which as we are told in Ezekiel were destroyed because: "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy". The Jewish oral tradition says that greed and a hatred of giving to others, was the reason for their destruction.
ReplyDeleteHow fitting that the location of those cities be a living parable of the hopelessness of a life of selfishness.