ReflectionYour welcomeMatthew 10: 40-42
A young man goes to church
A young man who had crazy hair, a T-shirt with holes in it, blue jeans and no shoes decided he would start attending church.
Near where he stayed was a well-dressed, very conservative church that wanted to develop a ministry to the wider community, but were not sure how to do it.
One day this young man with his hair that looked a bit like Kramer from the Seinfeld TV show. Wearing no shoes, his T-shirt with holes in it, and his blue jeans walked in to the church.
The service has already started and the church was full. So the young man walked down the aisle looking for a seat, but he could not find one anywhere. By now people are looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one said anything or offered to squeeze over so he could sit down.
As the young man got closer to the front of the church he realised there was nowhere for him to sit, so he sat down in the middle of the aisle, and in front of the pulpit.
By now the people are apprehensive and nervous. What are they to do? They can’t have him sitting there throughout the whole service, it is such a distraction, it just isn’t right.
Then from way at the back of the church, an elder is slowly makes her way forward. She is in her eighties, has grey hair, and dressed in her best Sunday clothes. She is a godly woman, very elegant, very proud, and a stalwart member of the church.
She walks with a limp and as she starts walking toward the young man, the church is silent. All eyes are focused on the elder. You can't even hear anyone breathing.
The people are thinking, "The minister can't continue the service until the elder does her job and removes the young man from the church, or at least moves him somewhere up the back."
The elderly woman finally reaches the young man, but she does something unexpected.With great difficulty she lowered herself down and sat next to the young man so he won't be alone.
The value of welcome
Jesus said, "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."
I think the elder in the story that I just shared with you exudes the aroma of Christ, and she does so as a prophet, and as one bearing the gift of a cup of water.
No biblical prophet has ever been called to say that the religious status quo is working out just fine.What they mostly do is call out the ways that the religious tradition has been corrupted or is not displaying the character and will of God.
Sometimes, I think, just like the congregation in this story we need to be reminded what we as followers of Jesus Christ are suppose to do, and whom we are to welcome.
To be given a cup of cool refreshing water when you are hot, thirsty, tired, disoriented and fatiguedrefreshes your soul. Being welcomed and cared for by family or friends or utter strangers when you are hungry, exhausted, or feeling lost, is food for your spirit.
Giving that cup of water,welcoming the stranger, and offering hospitality and compassion, Jesus reminds us; has its own rewards.
Welcome the outcast. Welcome the stranger. Show compassion and hospitality to the hungry and to the thirsty, love your neighbour, forgive your enemies, but most of all by your actions love and worship God.
This was Jesus’unwavering cry.The early Christian community took this to heart. As followers of Jesus Christ are we not called to do the same today?
In what ways do we welcome and heed the voice of the prophets amongst us?
How do we offer a cup of cold water to those who are around us?
How open are we to receive a cup of cold water when it is offered to us?
Acts of Grace
In 2011, in his blog “Pastor Dan’s Grace Notes”, Pastor Dan said;“A cup of water may not seem like much, but to someone who is thirsty, it is an act of grace and renewed life. We are not so much called to do great acts as much as we are all called to act, and the cumulative effect is greater than anything any one, ten or a hundred people can do. It is being motivated by the love of God to act out the Grace we have been given in our relationships with others.”
Acts of grace are not always big and dramatic things. All it takes is to be caring and welcomingin the little things. All it takes is to be alert for opportunities to care, to demonstrate God's loving-kindness, and to teach others to do the same.
Giving a cup of cold water is the stuff that a holy life is made from.A life lived for God does not come from the occasional sacrificial act, but in the thousands of small acts and decisions that make up the bulk of our lives.
By her actions, the elder of the churchthat the young man with crazy hair, a holey T-shirt and blue jeans went to on that Sunday morning was a prophet to the congregation, and someone who offered a glass of water to a lone figure disparately in need of feeling welcomed and accepted.
May we learn from this story, may we too welcome the voice of the prophet,and by our actions provide a simple cup of cold water to those in need.