Matthew the apostle shared how Jesus told His disciples, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it. He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward”, and in chapter ten and verse forty-two of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples what happens to, “whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water” where we read:
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
The verse reads, “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, ...” Matthew began with the words, “and whosoever shall give” which means “and whatever person whether male or female who grants, bestows, furnishes and supplies” “to drink” or “to imbibe” “unto one of these little ones” which means “toward the least, smallest and tiniest of children” “a cup” or “a drinking vessel” “of cold water” which means “which contains cool refreshing water” “only” or “solely and alone” “in the name” which refers to “everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering” “of a disciple” or “belonging to a student, pupil or attendant”. Matthew shared Jesus' words concerning giving a “small vessel of water” to a little child in a “disciple's name”.
The verse goes on to say, “... verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” Matthew added the word, “verily” which means “truly, surely and of a truth” “I say” or “Jesus utters, declares and proclaims” “unto you” which means “to the disciples”, “he shall in no wise lose” or “”the person who gives the cup of cold water will in no way and not in the least perish, destroy or mar” “his reward” which means “that person's hire, wages and pay for service that they deserve”. Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples the person who gives a cup of cold water to a child in the disciple's name will not in any way or fashion “lose” their “wage and hire” for it.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how God has “rewards” to give to those who acknowledge His own. Jesus, disciples, prophets and children who are “accepted and embraced” by others allows them to “receive” from God His “wage and hire” for doing so. God wants to have a loving relationship with every person, and when they care for and esteem others, including little children, in a manner that pleases Him, they will never “lose” their “reward” for doing so.
Next time we begin a new chapter and see Matthew share how Jesus, “departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
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