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A young salesman was disappointed about losing a big sale.

As he talked with his sales manager he lamented, “I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”

The manager replied, “Son, take my advice, your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty.”

That’s a deep thought, ain’t it?

How many times have you used the expression “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink?”

We use this saying every time something doesn’t go our way, or when people should have done what we suggested or we deal with stubborn folks. This saying is the “bless your heart” of society where it can cover a huge variety of emotions and thoughts on a person who may be smart, sweet, ignorant, annoying, and more. Maybe we have been looking at this all wrong. Maybe it’s time we realize we were never meant to make that horse drink.

Maybe…and hear this out…maybe we are simply meant to make that “horse” thirsty. This makes perfect sense.

If you aren’t thirsty then I don’t care how clear or cool that water is, they won’t drink. Let’s apply this to God and living for Him.

Church, our job is not to make people drink or force God on them. Our job is to live in such a way that they become thirsty. Our lives should be so filled with Christ that they create a thirst for the Gospel. We should live in such a way that folks see the joy of God we have and they want a part of this.

Your job is to make people “thirsty” for more. Your duty is to live in such a way that people can’t deny their want, desire, need to come to The Living Water where they will never thirst again.

In the Gospel of John 4:14 (NLT), Jesus said, “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

This “never be thirsty again” is not talking about a literal thirst, just like us saying we need to make people thirsty isn’t a literal thirst. You are not being asked to run people or make them walk in the blistering sun or pull primings all day long until they are dehydrated and dying of thirst. Your life should be like the best Super Bowl ad of all time where through the ways you talk, live, love and act, people become thirsty for God.

Be the good needed and make folks thirsty for God through how you live.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.