A prayer for today: Everlasting Father, grant me peace as I go about my day today. Give me wisdom and clarity of mind to discern your will in all of my endeavors. Guide me gently in Your ways. And change my heart when I am hesitant to follow all that You ask of me. I recognize that Your ways are better than my own. Therefore, I offer all of my praise and thanksgiving to You. In Jesus name, Amen.
41 "If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded." NLT
(the following is from Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary -- www.christianity.com)
"Here, I. Christ promiseth a reward to all those that are any way kind to his disciples (v. 41); "Whosoever shall give you a cup of water, when you need it, and will be a refreshment to you, because ye belong to Christ, and are of his family, he shall not lose his reward." Note, 1. It is the honour and happiness of Christians, that they belong to Christ, they have joined themselves to him, and are owned by him; they wear his livery and retainers to his family; nay, they are more nearly related, they are members of his body. 2. They who belong to Christ, may sometimes be reduced to such straits as to be glad of a cup of cold water. 3. The relieving of Christ's poor in their distresses, is a good deed, and will turn a good account; he accepts it, and will reward it. 4. What kindness is done to Christ's poor, must be done them for his sake, and because they belong to him; for that is it that sanctifies the kindness, and puts a value upon it in the sight of God. 5. This is a reason why we must not discountenance and discourage those who are serving the interests of Christ's kingdom, though they are not in every thing of our mind and way. It comes in here as a reason why those must not be hindered, that cast out devils in Christ's name, though they did not follow him; for (as Dr. Hammond paraphrases it) "It is not only the great eminent performances which are done by you my constant attendants and disciples, that are accepted by me, but every the least degree of sincere faith and Christian performance, proportionable but to the expressing the least kindness, as giving a cup of water to a disciple of mine for being such, shall be accepted and rewarded." If Christ reckons kindness to us services to him, we ought to reckon services to him kindnesses to us, and to encourage them, though done by those that follow not with us."
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