Author: bejoy.peter

Life on earth without water is impossible.

On one side, man is exploiting, polluting, and wasting drinkable water. On the other side man is spending billions of dollars seeking signs of water in other planets. Pitiable, to say the least!

Water, I believe, is one of God’s priceless gifts to mankind. In the past civilizations and cultures took shape in the banks of rivers in acknowledgement of this fact.

Today, the post-modern culture revolves around bottled water. In this we see a loss of goodness that once was seen in offering a stranger a cup of cold water to drink as he walked by our homes.

Those of us who have constant access to fresh water resources should pause a moment and think about millions who do not enjoy this privilege. In fact, there are many, especially women and children who die for the lack of safe drinking water.

Now just thinking won’t do much good. We need action. In this case, we need practical steps to preserve our water resources for our children.

Think about it. How can the next generation survive if after having the best education and highly skilled jobs they don’t have water to drink?

The simplest thing you can do is to see that your taps don’t leak or drip. Once you are about to leave home ensure that all taps are closed.

Then explore the possibility of taking a shorter bath, consider reusing water from the kitchen for gardening, or using stored water in a bucket to wash dishes instead of running water.

There are several more of these practical tips. It is not creativity that is lacking to implement them; instead it is the will to do so. Remember the saying “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Perhaps there is no better way to end these thoughts than to quote what the missile man of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam predicted, “Future wars will be over water.”

With atomic, nuclear, chemical and biological weapons kept ready for the need and the hour, another world war would contaminate what little safe water that remains. Let us therefore unite to save water to save lives!

Before I conclude, let me remind you that water quenches thirst. It satisfies. Especially after having walked in the hot sun, how refreshing a splash of water onto one’s face and drink of cold water. Therefore water is a powerful symbol of the longing of man for truth, for God, for the meaning of life and for all that ultimately satisfies.

Jesus Is Risen!

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” — Jesus Christ

–(John 4:13, 14 Bible NIV.)
World Water Day–March 22

“Cleanliness is next to godliness” is a phrase that was first recorded in a sermon by John Wesley in 1778.

The first thought about it is related to spirituality itself. What would you think about a place of worship littered with dirty plastic cups and garbage? Would you feel like worshipping there? Would you feel the presence of God there? The simple answer is No. Without maintaining a clean environment it is not possible to have a meaningful spirituality.

The second thought is about health. Maintaining good physical and mental health is closely related to cleanliness. A sound mind can only reside in a healthy body. To have a healthy body cleanliness is a must. Think about it this way. A hospital is a place where patients are treated. What if hospitals are not maintaining proper cleanliness? The very place that is supposed to bring health and healing and wholeness will become the place where diseases and epidemics spread from. So it is very evident that cleanliness is an absolute must as far as health is concerned.

Now let us turn our thoughts to children going to school. They come in uniforms; don’t they? What if a huge majority of children come to school in dirty uniforms? That will be total lack of discipline and self-respect. Children and teachers when they come in neat and modest dress create an atmosphere in school where study becomes a joy and not a burden. There is a general sense of well-being. As we stretch this example, one of the impacts created by the armed forces as they march during the republic parade is the absolute clean dress codes they maintain. What a sense of pride in the nation they give to us!

Again, cleanliness in our surroundings is a civic responsibility. Each citizen of India is responsible for keeping our streets and open spaces clean. Most people have a selfish thought that they can dirty their neigbour’s place in order keep their own compounds clean. But that it a bad attitude. We need to work together to achieve cleanliness on a nationwide scale. We need to clean up our homes and neighbourhoods, residential areas and public places, streets and highways, and places of cultural heritage and tourist importance as well.

Let me now conclude. Would you like to visit a beach that is fully littered with plastic waste? I am sure you along with other visitors would prefer a place with clean surroundings; isn’t it? Again, when you travel and enter a wayside hotel or restaurant what if you are served food in an unwashed plate and the hotel itself has not been cleaned for days! Would you eat food there. NO. So it is very clear that cleanliness is next to godliness and those who wish to succeed in life should make it a discipline and habit to maintain cleanliness in life. Thank you.

Jesus Is Risen!