ARE YOU THIRSTY? – by Raphael ben Levi
Loving God with all your heart, soul and strength has true meaning and expression only when it extends outwards towards others, as was perfectly demonstrated by Yeshua throughout His life and public ministry. It transcends all boundaries of age, culture, status, creed or gender.
There was once a nobleman, when as a boy was required to spend the night alone in the forest as a pre-requisite to attaining manhood. During the night, between sleep and waking, he received a vision. He saw a great fire from which appeared a cup overflowing with red wine, symbolising God’s divine grace. Out of the fire spoke a voice: “You shall remember what it means to be a servant, even as Yeshua the King of Kings was the servant of all. Through this, the hearts of your people will be healed.”
However, the boy was blinded by visions of a life of grandeur and self-interest filled with power, glory and riches. At that moment, he felt for a brief moment invincible and reached into the fire to take the cup. Immediately, the cup vanished, but his hand became terribly wounded from the heat of the fire.
As the boy grew older, his wound grew deeper and nothing could alleviate the trauma and deep pain of his suffering. None of his physicians was able to help him and could only stand helpless by his side.
Much time passed and things hit rock bottom. The boy who was now a young man hid away in a dark place where the agony of his suffering was his only companion. He removed himself from the laughter and merriment of his companions, the comfort and love of those who cared; the sweet sound of nature with the warmth of the sun smiling down upon his shoulders. He slowly but surely began to give up on life altogether and wished he could simply shrivel up and die.
One day a fool wandered into the castle and discovered the young man alone in a remote corner of a great chamber. Being simple-minded, he did not see the son of a nobleman, but only a person alone and immersed in his pain. He immediately walked up to him and in a caring voice enquired; “What ails you, my friend?”
The young man replied, “I’m so thirsty. I need some water to cool my throat.”
So the fool took a water bottle strapped to his waist and handed it to him. The young man eagerly began to drink, and to his amazement discovered that his wound was healed. He looked up and turned to the fool with amazement: “How could you find that which my brightest and bravest could not?”
The fool looked at him with compassion and replied: “I don’t know. I only knew that you were thirsty. “And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matt.10:42)
