Here in the desert it is hot! I mean really hot, 116 degrees hot!!
Nothing cuts your thirst on one of these extremely hot days like a cold glass of water. Nothing!
So when the Bible talks to us about being rewarded for giving a cup of water to someone I know how valuable a gesture like that can be!
Today I want to talk to you about little kindnesses like these. In the Bible we see time and again where the Scriptures say “He was moved with compassion” or “His loving kindness”.
Loving-kindness in action is when the waitress brings us the wrong meal and we don’t go off on her but instead we are kind in our words and sincere in our appreciation for her hard work.
It’s when we show patience at the grocery store with the cashier when she has just been cussed out by the client before. Or when our child hasn’t cleaned up the yard or taken out the trash like we’ve told them and we find out they were wounded by a friend or embarrassed by a teacher and they were just too distracted to get it done.
All of these are practical examples of loving kindness. Recently I had two people tell me how much what I had done for them meant to them. Truthfully, I really didn’t feel I had done anything special – nothing big, nothing grand. I had just come along side when they were feeling overwhelmed and helped out. No biggee…but it was to them.
Jesus says giving cups of water is something that will be rewarded!
“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same reward as a good person. 42 And anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will surely be rewarded.” Matthew 10:40-42 CEV
Now I know some will look at these verses and focus on the reward but I really think what Jesus is trying to get us to see is that nothing, no matter how small, goes unnoticed to the Father when we are reaching out in love. Extending loving-kindness to those around us is an example of the Christ that lives in us.
A few years back I spent about a week in the hospital. When I came home I wasn’t able to do much for another week or so. Some sweet ladies brought me cups of cool water. One neighbor came over each morning to take our dog for a walk and she did my ironing. Another neighbor cooked enough extra each night for Dave to enjoy a nice dinner; she did my laundry and grocery shopping. These acts of love were priceless!
“Are you strong because you belong to Christ? Does His love comfort you? Do you have joy by being as one in sharing the Holy Spirit? Do you have loving-kindness and pity for each other? 2 Then give me true joy by thinking the same thoughts. Keep having the same love. Be as one in thoughts and actions. 3 Nothing should be done because of pride or thinking about yourself. Think of other people as more important than yourself. ” Philippians 2:1-3 NLV
I’m asking the Father to make me more aware of those that need a cup of cold water today. I want the world to see my Father through me!