“The Spring Keeper”

Last Sunday, our pastor included a wonderful illustration which I also found epitomizes our relationship between Christianity and nutrition.

The illustration by the late chaplain of the US Senate, Peter Marshall, was entitled, “The Keeper of the Spring.” Perhaps you’ve heard it before. Here’s the Cliff note version of it:

“It seems a spring at the top of an Austrian mountain provided water to a charming, picturesque village down below. The village council hardly saw the keeper and began questioning why they were paying for a service when they never saw the benefit. So they fired the Spring Keeper.

As time went on, leaves and debris began to clog the source of the well. Then downstream, leaves, twigs and debris muddied the water. It smelled and tasted badly. Tourists stopped coming, restaurants served less tasty food and the town lost its beauty and charm.

Finally the council realized its mistake…