A rather new Christian came into a group of older believers and noticed that the conversation had gotten rather sour, and that these older believers were expressing their fears about the world, and about this and that. They were really being very cynical, and in being that way, these older, mature believers were really grieving this new Christian that they would talk that way, having all that they have in Christ. Later she said, “You know, I don’t want to be a mature believer if that’s what you become.”

You’ve played that game, “Who Am I?” haven’t you? You ask a person to say who he is in three short sentences. A person who is aware of his role as a father will probably say something like “I am a father; I am a man: and I am a breadwinner.” Or a person committed to Christ might say, “I am a Christian; I am a Christian woman or man; and I am a witness.”

John chapter 4 brings us to a discussion about water, which has fabulous implications for how you should view your Christian life. Listen with the “ears of your heart,” as Jesus calls them, as you get the picture.

World War II correspondent, Ernie Pyle, saw a lot of suffering and death. Once deeply discouraged, he wrote to a friend, “I wish you’d shine any of your light in my direction. God knows I’ve run out of light.” I believe that’s the need of many people in the world today. On every side we see things that greatly distress us.

Sometime ago the Los Angeles Times published a study on boredom. Boredom can become epidemic. It’s often a terminal disease. A lot of people are “partly living and partly dying of boredom.” Boredom is a refusal of joy. It’s a tragedy when joy is available.