Matthew 10:40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. 41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
Jesus is completing his instructions to his disciples before sending them out to ministry. By now the disciples are probably really worried because they have been warned that sooner or later, they will be persecuted. But now Jesus speaks assurance.
Jesus assured his followers that if they were about his business, whoever received them because of Jesus would be receiving a representative of the one true living God. Whoever recognized that they were receiving a prophet or a righteous man and received them gladly, would be contributing to that ministry and would therefore receive the same reward as the prophet or righteous man. No good deed would go unnoticed; even if someone merely gave a Jesus follower a cup of cold water, they would be rewarded.
My husband and I have been in missions for most of the last thirty – three years. We were accepted by our first mission group in August 1987 and began raising funding to go to Ghana. That first time, we drove more than 30,000 miles, speaking in churches and staying with people. Through the years, untold numbers of people have sheltered us, fed us, and contributed to our ministry. Many of these people have become dear friends.
Did we deserve such generosity and hospitality? No! These people received us because of Jesus, because they were followers of Jesus and because they recognized that He had called us into the mission field and they wanted to help further the Kingdom of God. They were kind to us because of Jesus.
Today the world is being convulsed by the COVID – 19 pandemic, but one thing has not changed. In the midst of this chaos, we can still be kind. We can still offer cups of cold water.
Today, let us leave fear behind! Let us pray and let us look for opportunities to show the love of God to those around us.
PRAYER: Father God, today we ask that you help us to look beyond our own needs and our own fears to those around us. Help us to give in as many ways as we can so that those around us will feel your love and the touch of your Holy Spirit. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.
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