This is an accurate, Biblical analogy. Isaiah 55 records God's invitation to the thirsty:
"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."
The Psalmist also wrote about God's law being water and that he craved God's Word like a deer pants for water. Christ Himself, when speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, compared what His teachings to water that will prevent its drinkers from ever thirsting again.
My problem with this analogy is that I think it is a little simplistic. It leaves out that the people who we believe are in need of "water" are most often deceived about their condition. It is rare to talk to someone who actually sees what God says as living water that will forever quench his soul's thirst, unless they are already a Christian. Most people, at least here in the States, either don't think they are thirsty at all - "I don't need God" or "God doesn't exist," or attempt to slake their soul-thirst with other things - things we know to be completely useless as a thirst-quencher - "That's fine for you, but I believe Buddha/Allah/Oprah/myself". Either way, they look at the God of the Bible, see salt water, and conclude that we are either crazy, stupid, or mean to offer it.
So how do we respond when we offer Jesus' living water to someone who looks at it and sees salt? Especially when our churches forget to acknowledge this all-too-real, very common response? I Corinthians 1:18 says "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The next several verses elaborates on this and explains that for those whom God saves, Christ is wisdom, not foolishness, and power, not weakness. (I Corinthians 1:18-25)
Ephesians 2:1-10 teaches that we are spiritually dead and completely unable to do anything to reach God.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
If we could do anything in our unregenerate, sinful state, to understand or to reach God, we could take some credit. But God says that our salvation is the gift of God so that no one can boast.
What does that mean for evangelism? Many people use the above passages as an excuse for not sharing their faith. "God is only one who save them and if He has to open their eyes first, why should I bother to share? I don't want to waste my time talking to people who are spiritually dead."
This excuse completely ignores the command that God gives to us in Matthew 28: "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations..." It doesn't say "only if you think God has opened their spiritual eyes." It simply says GO.
It also assumes that God told us to talk about Him to other so that we will convert great numbers of people. Jesus Himself said that the way to God is through a narrow door and not many will find it. He never promises huge crowds of converts. He does, however, promise that men will hate us for what we believe. We are not to be discouraged when our efforts do not result in countable fruit. God is also interested in the fruit that these experiences brings about in our lives.
So why should we share? Because obeying God brings Him glory. Because obeying God pleases Him. Because obeying God and experiencing the results of that, even when those results are persecution, mocking, and hatred, helps me become more Christ-like.
I think that we are under the false impression that in order to obey God's command to go, that we can bang on a few doors, hand out a few tracts, pray a prayer with someone, and check "outreach" or "evangelism" off our to-do lists for the week/month/year.
Read Matthew 28 again. It says that we are to go into the world, make disciples, and teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded. "Hit and run" evangelism tends to forget those last two commands. Where is the making of disciples? Where is the teaching them to obey? Where is the baptizing (not that baptism saves, but that's a topic for another day)?
You can't force someone to take something they don't want or don't think they need, and even if you did, it would not be real. We do not show our faith by praying a prayer, we show our faith by our changed, changing lives. It takes time to become a disciple and learn to obey. I have three children and I constantly confront their unwillingness and inability to obey. I also confront my own unwillingness and inability to obey, and I've had many years' more practice than they!
So why and how should we share what we believe? In my admittedly short experience, I've learned that my testimony is more than just the words that I use to explain the Gospel to someone. No-one is going to listen to me unless they see, in my life, a reason to listen. This means they need to get to know me. And I need to get to know them. I need to invest time in people's lives, I need to take advantage of opportunities as they occur, and most importantly, I need to pray for the Holy Spirit to change their hearts and open their eyes to their spiritual need.
Yes, everyone is looking for something. Everyone is thirsty for meaning or purpose or answers to the deep questions of life. But the world offers many options, many possible answers. And much of what claims to be "Christian" is so contaminated with selfishness and self-righteousness and pride that even Christians are turned off. So how can I show those around me that what I believe is not only different, but true to the exclusion of everything else?
By the way I live. By submitting my will to Christ, by dying to myself, by confessing my sin and prostrating myself before God in absolute dependence on Him for even the desire to be more Christ-like.
My life is my most powerful, most important evangelism tool. And that is sobering. That is far more difficult than knocking on a stranger's door and handing them a tract. And it is often far more complex than simply offering a drink of water.
