A few years ago my wife and I purchased a backpacker’s water filter. We were hiking in areas where it would be wise to have the ability to take stream water, filter it, and then drink it without fear of contamination. It was crazy to watch a video that the manufacturer provided. It showed a camper taking muddy, disgusting water, filtering it, and then drinking it. I was sold!
Jesus was always taking everyday situations and objects and then leveraging them to teach biblical truth. The water filter is a picture of what the Scriptures do for us. Besides the clear teaching of the Gospel, the Bible also gives us directives on how to live life. How do we interpret and understand the world we live in (filter) in light of Scripture? We are encouraged to actively engage with the Bible, considering its content as a guide for living. The Message paraphrase of Ephesians 5:1-2 says “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.”