Matthew 10:40-42
Once again we are drawn into that quagmire of Biblical literalism, the one that hinders faith, restricts God's love and bastardizes the word and mission of Jesus. In this passage today, thankfully we are only gently reminded of the importance of looking at scriptures with a keen cultural eye.
"......whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple -- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." There is more in the sentence that surely meets the eye.
Two things need to be remembered about this. Since most of us nowadays simply turn on the faucet and get hot and cold water at will, it would not even occur to us perhaps what one of the primary messages in this passage is. Only when looked at it through the lens of their day does it make sense. Water was not plentiful. Water was scarce. Women walked for miles in the early morning before the heat of the day to carry jars of water for their daily use. Water was scare and precious. A water supply frankly meant life or death. Additionally, giving cold cups of water to children was probably not top on their list as well. It would almost be considered wasting water in one sense. Children were just about as low as women on the social totem pole. Once again Jesus takes the low people of the social strata and says that when you do good for them, your reward will be manifest. Jesus doesn't say, 'teach them how to dig a well so they can get their own water'; Jesus doesn't say make sure they are worthy or make sure they repent of their sins first. Jesus takes the lowly and the marginalized and as always lets us know that they are as welcome and loved by God as anyone. Quite often it is the pure hearts and faith of these outcasts that makes them eligible for heaven before the ones in power or who are considered the holy ones by society.
Who do you think the little ones are today? I could give you a litany of people but it is probably better for you if you come up with your own list. I would only caution you that if you come up with a group or nationality or religion and you find yourself saying "no, surely not them", that's when you get into trouble.
Two things need to be remembered about this. Since most of us nowadays simply turn on the faucet and get hot and cold water at will, it would not even occur to us perhaps what one of the primary messages in this passage is. Only when looked at it through the lens of their day does it make sense. Water was not plentiful. Water was scarce. Women walked for miles in the early morning before the heat of the day to carry jars of water for their daily use. Water was scare and precious. A water supply frankly meant life or death. Additionally, giving cold cups of water to children was probably not top on their list as well. It would almost be considered wasting water in one sense. Children were just about as low as women on the social totem pole. Once again Jesus takes the low people of the social strata and says that when you do good for them, your reward will be manifest. Jesus doesn't say, 'teach them how to dig a well so they can get their own water'; Jesus doesn't say make sure they are worthy or make sure they repent of their sins first. Jesus takes the lowly and the marginalized and as always lets us know that they are as welcome and loved by God as anyone. Quite often it is the pure hearts and faith of these outcasts that makes them eligible for heaven before the ones in power or who are considered the holy ones by society.
Who do you think the little ones are today? I could give you a litany of people but it is probably better for you if you come up with your own list. I would only caution you that if you come up with a group or nationality or religion and you find yourself saying "no, surely not them", that's when you get into trouble.
"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous;
and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple -- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."
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