Faithfulness in a World of Deception

Peter Marshall, who, for many years was chaplain to the US Senate, told a story of, “The Keeper of the Springs.” High up in the hills above a village in the mountains, an old man served as the Keeper of the Springs. He patrolled the mountainside and made sure that the spring that supplied the village below with water was always clear of silt, leaves, and dead animals. Each day the water tumbled down to the town, cold and pure. Gardens were refreshed, lawns turned green and people had their thirst quenched. Summer and winter the townspeople drank from its coolness and washed in its freshness. But the town faced a crisis. Times were hard and the council had a budget to cut. Someone noticed a small amount of money committed to the salary of the Keeper of the Springs. They decided that they would release him of his duties and end his salary because most people seldom saw him, and therefore, they didn’t even know who he was. They also persisted in the hope that the water would probably stay just as pure without this unknown guardian. For the first few weeks, the water seemed to be the same: clear and pure. But gradually a green scum developed on its surface and leaves clogged with dirt and debris floating on the water. After a while, sickness came to the village, and soon an epidemic raged, reaching into every home. The town council met again in an emergency session. They realized they had made a bad mistake so they appointed a delegation to climb up to the mountain, find the old man, and beg him to resume his formers labors. Before long, pure water flowed down to the village again; children laughed and played on the banks of the stream as they had in days gone by.

In this story, the stream represents the central message of the gospel and it has become polluted and toxic. There are many false teachers popping up all over in mainline churches. The gospel is being compromised and redefined, Christ is being stripped of His deity, and liberalism with its non-offensive message is being spread everywhere. The church is to be in the world like a ship is in the ocean, however, when the ocean is seeping into the ship it's cause for alarm. The mission for us isn’t to jump ship but get a bucket. God wants us to be His witnesses to the world. The individual who stands before the Lord and hears, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” is one who made a great effort to not only handle the Word of God accurately but lived in obedience to it. Remember that despite all the false & compromised teaching out there. Despite the apparent victories of the enemy, you can build your life on God's foundation of truth, it will always remain strong. Press on! Pastor Brian Richard