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[Jesus said:] “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. … Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 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 10:34, 37-42)
The first part of what Jesus says here is terribly hard—even excruciating. I mean, He says straight out not to expect peace as a follower of Jesus. Expect a cross instead. Expect your family to be upset, and expect people you love to reject you, and expect to face some really hard decisions—where you have to choose between Jesus and what you value most.
But then, what should we make of the second half of what Jesus says? Because He says straight out, “Whoever receives you receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me”—that is, God. If someone welcomes a Christian because they are a Christian, well, then, they are receiving Christ as well, and through Him, His Father—and they get a Christian’s reward. And what is that in the end but life, forgiveness, and salvation in Jesus, our Savior?
Right away that stirs up our sense of unfairness. How is it that a single cup of water offered to a Christian can result in such a great reward? How is it that easy?
I think the answer lies in the fact that God is gracious and merciful and shockingly generous. He wants all people to be saved, and He has no plans to make their entrance into His kingdom difficult. All the cost falls on Himself—for this wonderful “reward” isn’t earned by us, but rather a gift from Jesus, and it comes at His cost. Jesus our Lord is the One who suffers, dies, and is buried; He is the One who rises from the dead. He does all this on our behalf, for our blessing.
And the one who offers a cup of water to a Christian simply because that person is a Christian? Does that even happen? Yes, it does. In my own mission service, I’ve seen it happen again and again. Non-Christians who are meeting us for the first time offer us a ridiculously generous welcome—and it turns out to be for one reason only: “You smell like Jesus.” Somehow the Holy Spirit is working in their hearts already to bring them to faith in Jesus, and they can “smell Him” on us through what we do and say (see 2 Corinthians 2:14-16). And so they welcome us.
God takes that as a welcome to His Son as well. And follows it up with the gift of lifegiving faith and all that goes with that—forgiveness, salvation, and everlasting joy.
WE PRAY: Lord, I don’t understand the depths of Your gracious love. It’s too deep for me. Thank You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
- God wants everybody to be saved. How do you know this?
- Why would God reward a cup of water so greatly?
- Are you glad God is so open-handed, or does this scandalize you—or both?
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