“And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:42,ESV
These words of Jesus show His great mercy. We may often lose sight of this in our lives, and as we move more and more into a society that neither honors nor looks to the Christian faith as a standard to live by as a just society, we see the cruelty that is natural to people. I remember once in ministry attending a meeting to support another pastor who had worked with his church community to open their church to the homeless. There were a few things that he had failed to consider when beginning the humanitarian mission and his congregation was met with great resistance by the neighbors around the church. It was seen as a nuisance, and many had the idea that it attracted more homeless people to the area. One comment that struck me was a man complaining because of a homeless person’s request for a drink of water. This nature Jesus saw in His time, and it has existed in humanity since the Fall. Unless we perceive a reward, many will not help another. Yet, when we read through Scripture, the calling is for the opposite. Sadly, often, we dehumanize others with whom we disagree. The man seeing this person asking for a drink didn’t see a person in need in front of him, but an inconvenience that may lower the value of his property. The reality of that community was that the homeless were around them regardless. The shelter given in that church building just made it visible. Our Lord desires us to see and asks us to keep our eyes open so that when we see the other, we see Him in need of our help.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.