Empty Buckets

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Matthew 5:6

Think about the last time you went to the beach. Before you made the trip, there was a lot to do. Pick out a bathing suit. Find the sunscreen. Ice down drinks in the cooler. Get towels for everyone. And depending on the age of those going with you, you probably packed toys for building a sandcastle, including a bucket. 

Now, picture that bucket in your mind. It’s red or green or blue or orange. Or maybe pink. It’s tall with straight sides or short and stout. Or maybe it’s medium sized with a design in the bottom that will form the perfect tower for your sandcastle. It has a small shovel attached that is cracked from the last time you used it to dig wet sand, so you bring along a stronger shovel that can do the job. One last detail about your bucket: it’s empty. 

Empty. That’s right: empty. Isn’t it? It must be. After all, who brings a full bucket to the beach? It would be so strange to dig in your backyard, fill your bucket with topsoil, load the bucket up with all your beach supplies so you could play with the dirt from home rather than the abundance of beautiful sand around you. 

So it is with the kingdom of God. It would be so strange to try to live on the shore of God’s presence, where the sand of righteousness is abundant, while playing with a bucket filled with the dirt of sin from this world. In fact, it would be foolish and would not lead to life. There’s only one way to come into the kingdom of God. Your bucket must be empty, ready for God to fill. 

Father, I have nothing to offer. My bucket is empty. Fill it with righteousness for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ.