The Tale of the Question?

It is a short story with a huge, almost unanswerable question at the end, and it starts like this:

You have been wandering in the desert, and are lost, tired, hungry and thirsty. You have been walking fo what seems like several days, but in reality it has been onlly a couple but in 100+ degree temperatures you know it will not be long until the end is upon you.

You see a small town ahead and wonder about it because you have already followed a couple of mirages with no good result. But, you reason that if there is really a town there you might find water and life anew.
You find, after a short walk toward the town that it is real and as you get to the towns edge you see an old fashioned water pump next to a very large boulder. The town is abandoned and in shambles with the only population that of a few tumbleweeds.

You get to the pump and frantically pump the old handle and nothing happens. No water! Out of the corner of your eye, you see a gallon jug tucked into a hole in the boulder. You grab the jug and it is filled with water. Before you open it, you see a tag hanging from the handle. The tag read,"The pump needs to be primed. Every drop of water in this jug needs to poured down the shaft of the pump and then the pump will work and you will have all of the cool, fresh water you desire. P.S. Refill the gallon jug for the next person."

Here's the question. What would you do? You will die without water and the gallon jug has water in it. Do you pour the water down the shaft of the pump, or drink from the gallon jug? What and who do you trust? Why?

 

Hint Ken............The main topic is "religion,"

 

I really didn't expect a lot of replies, but perhaps the tale did give someone something to think about.
Much of the tale can be related to the story concerning Jesus and the woman at the well. (John 4) The first part of the tale proposed in this forum speaks of mirages. Mirages are merely things seen but cannot be reached or touched and in the end are not real. (sans explanations regarding reflections from the atmosphere)
The woman at the well had indeed followed at least 4 "mirages." She was on her 5th husband, and obviously 4 of them did not work out. She had hoped, 4 different times that this time would be the real thing instead of a mirage.

How many mirages have we all followed throughout our life. Whether they are relationships, business dealings, or just promises with no reality, we have all fallen prey to those unreachable sightings of prosperity. Relationships are the hardest because they can cause so much damage and we find that the heart can tear much easier than the tissue we use to wipe our eyes. But still, after that mirage has come and gone, we see and follow others hoping that there will be a fulfilled promise instead of the empty feeling of thirst and dispair.

Even after we finally surrender to our Lord, we still somehow manage to listen to the wind and attempt to touch the untouchable every now and then. But, with the word of God, perhaps we will stop looking for mirages and place all of our faith and hope upon He who is not a mirage but very, very reachable and touchable. Remember: "In the council of many is much wisdom."

How many mirages have you faced?

The rest of the reasoning behind the "tale" is forthcoming, but perhaps a little time to ponder on the former would be well enough for now.

 

Well @Bobby Cole First I would look around and see if there was a whole lot of bones all around that jug of water and if there were I would then take that jug, not drink a drop, and prime the pump and drink my fill from the pump. Then I would fill up that jug and leave it for the next person to figure out. I trust God and His Word because they have proved to me over and over again that I can place my trust in them. I trust no human being 100% but I do place levels of trust in those who have proved to me they are trustworthy.

 

I would absolutely trust that by pouring the jug down the well I'd get water...I wouldn't see the point of anyone going to the trouble of filling the jug and writing the note unless it was true that the well would produce water by following the instructions..why would anyone do that?...It matters not anyway..if my faith in that jug is not rewarded I'd have lost nothing because my life would already be ebbing away...and if it is rewarded then I'm quids in... as they say...

 

I would probably drink the water because I never believe what I read until I research it. It could all be a trick, or I could be delusional and not know what is real or not.

I'm sure this isn't the right answer.

 

I admit I haven't a clue as to where @Bobby Cole's story will take me but I am willing to follow the trust I have in his faith for I know him to be true.

So within the scenario written I would see the pump as a test of faith. I would trust that my Creator was leading me because I know the Creator to be true. I would follow the instructions.

But I admit as well that trusting has burnt me many times.

 

Why is everyone assuming God wrote that note?

 

Maybe because it's in the Faith & Religion part of the Forum?

 

Lol, ok Babs....you got me there, I didn't look.

Well then...what if it was the devil playing a trick on you, knowing you trust God. He tricked Eve in the Garden of Eden.

 

Not me...I just presumed that the note was left by the last person in the town....

 

Ah, but I've met many devils/demons, and I finally started to get better at recognizing him. I have found that he will eventually show himself, because he's to vain not to show 'his' power. And if it is my time to go, I trust my Creator to gather me up.

@Holly Saunders , me too, but it is a religious thread, so when in Rome.

Edit: I admit we had a hand water pump outside and one in the Kitchen back in the '50's, and we always kept a can of water setting around for when the pump lost it's prime.

 

It could be a person 5 mins up the road from you playing a trick on you. We live in a very crazy world, I guess I'm not so trusting.

Okay, all of you who primed the pump, drank the water and filled the jug for the next person....where are you? You could only drink so much and you wouldn't get too far on what you drank. Id probably meet up with you taking measured sips from my gallon.

I would probably only take a sip to begin with anyway, just in case it wasn't good.