The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself – Proverbs 11:25
It is not required to be a fan of country music to know that Dolly Parton was a legend in that genre. Nor to have followed her career, which included several memorable movie roles, to recognize how diversified she was. However, like me, you may not have known the extent of Dolly’s generosity, which included the establishment of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library—a program that has donated over 200 million books globally to children. Dolly Parton watered so many lives, and she will forever be remembered.
Jesus is the Light, and we are His lamps. This has been my interpretation of John 8:12, where Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” combined with Matthew 5:16, which says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” As Christians, we are expected to demonstrate Jesus living within us. This includes blessing others with the gifts, talents, and resources bestowed upon us. Doing so will indeed be rewarded. The greatest reward will be the inner joy of knowing you have been a lamp that God used to shine His light.
Dolly Parton’s legacy and the tributes detailing her behind-the-scenes actions are wonderful examples of how we can be a ray of sunshine by using what we have to brighten others’ lives. What God has watered us with isn’t for our consumption alone. Let’s make certain to refresh others along our paths today with kindness.