God’s Vending Machine is Always Stocked

Recently, I stopped at a CVS to grab a drink before driving out to Paris, Texas, to see my mom. I was scanning the Coke aisle when I spotted a Smart Water display. It was one of those mundane moments that somehow sparked an old memory.

Years ago, back when I worked in education, it was standardized testing season (ugh). You know the drill: central office staff are sent out to campuses to monitor classrooms, ensure there are no testing irregularities, and try to be at least somewhat helpful. That day, I was assigned to a third-grade classroom to monitor a math test.

The teacher, Mrs. Wilson, was clearly adored by her students. The kids crowded near her desk like she was home base, giving her hugs and leaning in close the way little ones do when they feel safe. Right before the test started, Mrs. Wilson placed a huge case of Smart Water on her desk and announced, “Third graders, I have something special just for you. While you’re taking the test, if you are having a hard time with a question, just stop and take a sip of Smart Water. Think about the question again, and answer it. The water will help.”

I helped pass out the water bottles to twenty squirmy, wiggly, serious-faced little people. The test started right on time.

A while into it, a little girl walked up to the teacher with tears beginning to creep from the corners of her eyes. She was obviously upset. “Mrs. Wilson,” she said, “I drank all of my Smart Water, and I still have questions to do!”

Without missing a beat, Mrs. Wilson reached under her desk and pulled out an extra bottle, sliding it to her like it was an envelope containing a top secret. The girl exhaled audibly, went back to her desk, and got to work.

I’ve thought about that moment more than once, because it is a story about faith.

Let’s be honest: there’s nothing miraculous about Smart Water (apologies to whoever produces Smart Water). But what was remarkable was the child’s trust. She believed her teacher when her teacher said, “This will help you.” Someone was looking out for her. And she believed that if she got stuck, there was something real—something ‘extra’—that could help her and encourage her to keep going even when the test was hard.

That’s not far from the way faith works.

Christian faith is not pretending life is easy. Faith is not a magic potion that guarantees you’ll never feel anxious. Real faith is more like that child walking to the desk and saying, “I need help.” It’s trusting that God is good, even when our questions are far more complicated than 3rd-grade math. 

Sometimes our “Smart Water” faith looks like a whispered prayer in the middle of the messiness.

“Lord, I’m stuck. I don’t know what to do next. Help me.”

I know I sure have to work on pausing before reacting—taking a breath, reading the question again, taking a slow sip, and asking God for wisdom. Matthew 7: 7-8 reminds us, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” We just have to knock. Why is it in our daily lives, instead of turning to God, we spiral downward inside ourselves? Alone. Just knock.

And similar to Mrs. Wilson having another bottle tucked under the desk, God’s supply is not limited by our panic. We might feel like we’ve “used up” all our strength, all our patience, all our hope—but grace is not like a vending machine that runs out. God’s machines are fully stocked.

God doesn’t shame us for coming back again and again with the same question. God doesn’t roll His eyes or huff when we say, “I’m still stuck.” Over and over, the gospel shows us a Savior who welcomes the tired and gently cares for the anxious (Matthew 11:28–30).

So the next time you’re staring at a question you can’t answer—whether it’s a decision you’ve been putting off, a conflict with someone you love, a grief that is too heavy to carry anymore, a season you didn’t choose—consider this your invitation to take a “sip.”

Pause.
Pray.
Ask for wisdom.
Take a sip and try again.

Not because the sip itself is magical, but because the One you’re turning toward is faithful. And loves you beyond measure.

And if you feel like your water bottle is empty, you’ve had all you can take, and you’re still overwhelmed, remember you’re not failing. You’re human. Go back to the Teacher. “Lord, I still have questions. I need some help.”

God’s grace and goodness have a way of showing up humbly, consistently, and sometimes right from under the teacher’s desk when we need it most.