Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25
“The Church is one, and by her fertility has extended by degrees into many lands. In the same way, the sun has many rays, but its light is one; a tree has many branches but a single trunk drawing nourishment from a deep root; many streams can issue from a single source.
In each case, multiplicity is fed from a single source and unity is preserved in the source itself. You cannot separate a ray from the sun any more than you can divide its light. Break off a branch from a tree, and once broken it will bud no more. Dam a stream from its source and the water will dry up.
In the same way, the Church, flooded with the light of the Lord, puts forth her rays throughout the world, but it is an identical light that is being diffused, and the unity of the body is not impaired. She extends her branches over the whole world in rich abundance. She pours out her generous rivers but there is one source.”
Cyprian of Carthage in On the Unity of the Church as recounted in Celebrating the Saints, compiled by Robert Atwell (SCM: Norwich, 2004) 85.
Cyprian offers a beautiful picture of our role as conduits or channels of blessing. We are generous rivers whose generosity flows from but one source.
As we dispense blessings, we can do so with confidence that God will refill us with an ongoing deposit of whatever we need for our use and for our sharing.
Cyprian also reminds us to stay connected to the Source. I find this to be true holistically linked to living, giving, serving, and loving.
So the lesson today is at least twofold. God made us to be channels of abundance blessing, but to play that role we remain connected to the Source of all that is infinitely good.