Are You An Old Soak?

I remember when I was a young girl living in Northern Minnesota town, the town drunk was called “an old soak.” Maybe that was the term applied everywhere when a person was always saturated with strong drink. The term intrigues me because I believe that we, in today’s fast paced society, are truly in desperate need of becoming “old soaks” of another variety.

Water is the most obvious example of the benefits of soaking. It does us the most good when it is soaked into the soil to provide vegetation and life. We all realize this , but there are many other examples of being “old soaks.” When water is abundant, the earth cannot soak it all up, so the surplus gathers and forms streams and springs. Man is like that. When we soak up the good things in life, such as faith, friendships, hope and joy, we become saturated with them and the overflow spills over into the lives of those around us.

It’s easy to tell when someone has soaked up these good things in life. He (or she of course) is fun to be with, and his conversations sound something like the music of a meadow lark to our ears. (I put that in because I haven’t heard that sound since I lived in northern Minnesota.) He is so filled with faith, hope and love that he cannot hold it all, and the surplus spills over, refreshing the lives of others. Then, even his talking takes on a different sound, as does his life. He has turned over his life to Jesus.

There isn’t any other way, Jesus says he is the only way, truth and life to be an “Old Soak”. On the other hand, if we dwell on the bitterness of life, the bad news in our newspapers and television and the bad language of other people, we will dry up ourselves, and this too, can dry up and spill over into the thoughts and attitudes of those closest to us

How can we become followers of Jesus? It’s really easy. You just leave all the bitterness of life and tell Jesus how sorry you are for the many things you have done and want Him to come into your heart and life and really mean it. That’s all you have to do. Of course you will want to talk to someone who has become an old soak and learn about the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Not only will we, then, be an old soak, but we will not be able to keep all these good things to ourselves. It is bound to overflow! Perhaps the first ones touched by your overflow will be your wife and little girl. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to make good old soaks of many other people, giving them eternal life with Jesus. Wow! that’s one gift I hadn’t told you about! Just talk to that old soak you talked with before! He’ll be happy to fill you in!