One of the colloquial phrases I picked up while attending an evangelical school was “pouring into”. It is usually used to refer to imparting of emotional or spiritual sustenance or knowledge to another person. I love to use it to consider the way I live and serve. What is it that I am pouring into peoples hearts and minds. Is it rich and golden or watery and grey? Is my action of pouring generous and abundant or stilted and stingy? How does the action of pouring affect me? Does it leave me empty or does my cup runneth or'?
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This piece is an analogy of the power that a woman who understands her covenants has access to and the ability she has to grant that power to others. In the style of Jews, historic and modern, the woman’s shawl is adorned with a blue tassel or tekhelet. Tkhelet is a sign of the covenant with God, the balance between the light and dark (tekhelet is supposed to be a middle value), and the impending coming of the Messiah. From the vessel in her hand she pours a rich stream of olive oil, a metaphor for the sacrifice of Christ and the oil of choice for Judeo-Christian rituals.