Three friends were walking along the beach and noticed a fish flopping around on the shore.

One person wondered if the fish was sad because it didn’t seem to own anything nice. So he bought the fish a gold watch and set it beside him. But nope. It made no difference. It still just flopped around.

Another wondered if a nice house wouldn’t do the trick. So she got a nice little castle from Toys ‘R’ Us. But that didn’t make a difference either.

A third person got a masseuse to come give it a massage. But the fish didn’t seem impressed. It continued to flop around.

They just stood there scratching their heads. They were out of ideas.

You’re right. It’s a silly story. What did the fish need? Water!  

But I think we often behave in a similar way. We try to satisfy our most important needs with less important things.

In John 7:37-38 (NIV) Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

The water was to that fish what the living waters of Jesus are to us: Essential.

Don’t be duped by the false hope of shiny things. When we try to satisfy our deepest desires with anything other than Jesus, we’re just flopping around on the beach.

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink,” Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me… rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

By Matthew Ruttan

• Today’s story is adapted from one told by Max Lucado in When God Whispers Your Name.
• My podcast from Sunday was called “What the floppy fish needs.” To listen in click here. Enjoy!