11/24 Matthew 10:42

⁴² 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."

We've seen that followers of Jesus can expect to be persecuted. Because God is our Father, we can expect that those who persecute us will one day be judged. Our verse for today tells us that those who bless us will be blessed. It is similar to the promise God gave Abraham (Genesis 12:3). Those who bless us will be blessed and those who dishonor us will be cursed.

Surely this applies to believers helping fellow-believers as well. If we really believed this, we would be looking for opportunities to bless God's servants. Sometimes a group of pastors meets at the church where I minister. I always buy them lunch when they come because I believe this promise. Don't think it just has to be pastors however. The humble, quiet servants of God may have a need that you can meet and thereby bring a blessing to you and to them. Rewards on this earth sit on a shelf and gather dust, but rewards in heaven will be something beyond what we can imagine.

There are only a few things Jesus promised to reward: those who receive persecution for following Jesus (Luke 6:22-23), giving to the Lord (Matthew 6:3-4), secret prayer (Matthew 6:6), secret fasting (Matthew 6:17-18), and loving your enemies (Luke 6:35). Giving to a servant of God is covered in giving to the Lord. What we do to the least of His brothers and sisters, we have done to Him. We don't do these things just to get the heavenly reward, but certainly the promise of reward in heaven should add to the motivation to watch for an opportunity and rejoice when it comes.

Consider: Do you take these promises of Jesus seriously?