Matthew 10:40-42 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 10:40-42 on biblegateway.com
Verse 40"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Verse 41Whoever 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; Verse 42and 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."
Devotion
Have you heard the phrase, “from maintenance to mission?” What do you take “mission” to mean? I often intend something akin to proactive, outwardly focused or engaged. Mission, defined as such, is certainly a good thing, but it doesn’t explain the risk behind a “cup of cold water.” What are we missing?
In Matthew 10, Jesus gathers the disciples, grants them authority to cleanse and heal, then sends them out to proclaim the good news. They take no money and little clothing. Short-term, that’s not so bad; exotic inconvenience makes for high adventure. But the thrill is cut short by references to Sodom and Gomorrah, wolves, betrayal, dissension, death, persecution, hell, swords and being “hated by all because of my [Jesus’] name.”
Let’s expand our definition. Mission demands Jesus, and Jesus creates risk.
Prayer
Jesus, we hide you in abstractions, we fear your name. Jesus, may your mission be done, not ours. Amen.