I recently saw a post that said, “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
I understand the heart.
Rest matters.
Boundaries matter.
I practice both.
Yet when I picture the most alive people I’ve known, I see servants.
My grandmother had a stove that never cooled.
The nurse who stayed to help long after the shift was done.
That teacher who refused to give up on kids the world had given up on.
The retired minister who keeps showing up and keeps serving.
They poured and kept pouring.
And joy kept returning like a tide.
I’ve learned the difference between caring for myself and building walls.
Care restores me so I can serve well.
Walls keep me safe, but small.
One opens me to God’s blessing.
The other closes the door.
Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you… running over.” (Luke 6:38)
That is not a single transaction.
It is a way of living.
We were not made as reservoirs.
We were made as rivers.
What God pours in is meant to move through.
So I do both.
I sleep. I pray. I step away to breathe.
Then I step back in and serve.
And strangely, the serving is part of the filling.
When I lift another, I sense God lifting me.
When I pay attention to the person in front of me, my own soul wakes up.
This is how I want to live.
Hands open.
Heart open.
A cup tended, not clutched.
A life that leaks grace.
Jesus modeled it.
He emptied himself.
He washed feet.
He gave his life so others could truly live.
The fullest cups are the ones that never stop pouring.
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This is such a beautiful reflection. The distinction between caring for ourselves and building walls feels so important. I deeply connect with the image of being a river instead of a reservoir — letting what flows in also flow through. Serving and showing up for others has a way of restoring us too, and I love how you captured that. Thank you for sharing this reminder.
My key takeaway is this: Give and it shall be given unto you. A life expected of Christians. Not the reservoir kind of attitude. As Christians, we are called to serve others not to be selfish.
Good message 👍👍