Sacrificing to Share Living Water
Dirkie Joubert lived an interesting life, and her book Crab Soup and Other Stories was well worth the read. She lived through both of the Anglo-Boer Wars, and there was quite a bit in her book about her time in the concentration camps during the second war. She was actually treated fairly well, compared to others, but the whole ordeal took a great toll on her and her family.
Courage to Help the Needy
I want to read one long paragraph from her book, about a young man whose act of heroism really had an impact on her during this war. She writes:
"At this point I would like to pay tribute to a young man from our neighbourhood, Sarel Visser, who proved himself extremely courageous at Paardeberg. After a prolonged spell of firing from the British lines there were many wounded men crying for water in the Boer laager. Young Sarel could not bear to hear their pleas going unheeded and decided to take the risk of fetching water from the river in spite of the heavy and ceaseless fire. He hung as many water bottles across his shoulders, by their straps, as he could carry, mounted his horse and raced across the open space towards the water. Bullets hit the ground all round him as he travelled. The Boers, watching his progress with admiration and anxiety, expected to see him tumble from his horse, fatally wounded, at any moment. When the dust cleared they could still see him charging ahead. He reached the water safely, filled all the water bottles, slung them over his shoulders, and, with that heavy load, tore back again. He reached the laager unscathed and with his water supply intact. To have been able to still the cries of the thirsty wounded must have been reward enough for so brave a soul."
Courage for Christ's Sake
It's quite a picture of this young man putting himself in danger for the sake of his people. And it made me think: when last did I really make a sacrifice for the good of somebody else? Am I too comfortable, living for my own ease but rarely going out of my way to help another? Would I be willing to do something like what Sarel Visser did, on that day?
The early Christians risked their lives to spread the gospel. Don't they remind you, in a sense, of Sarel Visser? Facing many dangers in order to bring water to the wounded? In fact, isn't that our call - to take living water in the message of Jesus to those who need it, even if it means facing bullets and enemies along the way?
The Ultimate Sacrifice
Of course, ultimately, Jesus Himself gave up His life so that we could be freed and forgiven. As impressive as Sarel Visser's act was, the courage of Jesus to go willingly to the cross and bear the sins of the world is the far greater sacrifice.
Perhaps God is calling us to face some danger in His name. Perhaps many more stories are waiting to be written, of those in 2025 who gave their all at the risk of their lives to bring living water to the wounded.
May you and I count ourselves in that number!
