Two Hundred Twelve

My friend Glenn Reynolds wrote in a current newsletter that small changes can make huge differences. At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees water boils. Boiling water produces steam. Steam can power a locomotive. One degree makes the difference.

I remember as a child watching the water to see when it would boil. There is an old saying that says, “A watched pot never boils”. It sure seemed to be true as I would wait and watch. I determined to stay and watch for s long as it took to prove that saying wrong. Eventually the water did boil as it crossed the threshold from 211 to 212 degrees. ( I must have taken my eyes off of it for a second). I also remember from science class that once it reaches 212 degrees it doesn’t go to 213, it becomes steam and becomes very powerful. The kind of power that moves trains and ships, or powers turbans to make electricity. A small part of that steam is used to blow the whistle. It is good to remember that the steam that blows the whistle cannot also move the train. There are lots of people making noise that are not a motivating force. The real purpose of the noise from the train whistle is to announce that it is coming and is a rolling force that must be dealt with.

In a spiritual sense, the “ Living Water” of the Word of God, gets heated by the “Fire of the Holy Spirit” ,creating the steam that powers the Church (which is us) to action. What a shame it would be today if we only let our spiritual temperature get to 211 and thus stood still instead of moving to 212 and becoming powerful.

Go ahead! Get in the fire. Let the wheels roll today, and blow your whistle. Signal the world that you are on the move.