Rest Stop on the Highway of Life

Matt. 10:42 “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

A cup of cold water doesn’t sound like much unless you are the thirsty one. In this scripture Jesus was talking to His disciples. As vivid as my imagination is, I struggle with what it really was like to have to walk on dirt roads everywhere you needed to go. We think nothing of hopping in the car and driving, in my case, the 36+ miles into San Antonio. I know I would give it much more thought if I had to walk there! I couldn’t carry enough water with me to make that journey; the weight would be prohibitive and cumbersome. I like to think along the way I would run into caring folks offering a cup of cold water…but would I?

I remember a scorching summer’s day many years ago, sixteen to be exact, when my car broke down on IH-35 between Waco and Georgetown. I was traveling with my then two year old grandson, Douglas. This was before everyone had a cell phone & I had to walk quite a distance to get to a phone to call for help. I had to carry Douglas on my shoulders as I walked along the side of the interstate during weekend traffic. It was horrible! Traffic buzzing by at high rates of speed, relentless heat, no water, no shade and a very hot and cranky two year old on my aching shoulders. No one, not one person stopped and offered help of any kind. Not even a cup of water.

The first place of refuge I came to was a La Quinta Inn. The desk clerk refused to let me use the desk phone, telling me there was a payphone at the gas station up the road. Can you picture what we must have looked like? A little blond boy red as a beet from the heat and sweat pouring off both of us and the clerk said we had to go further up the road to use a phone as I was standing in a place with a phone in every room. It irked the desk clerk to no end but I took the baby into the rest room to get wet paper towels to cool him off. I was beyond caring about her preferences at this point. My pleas fell on deaf ears, her opinion cease to matter to me. I cupped my hands to hold water for him to drink from the bathroom faucet. I didn’t have any money on me to even buy a coke or bottle of water.

Jesus made a point they could all relate to when He said “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these…” I believe the ‘cup of cold water’ is compassion, care, help, assistance, serving a need, and help in times of trouble…all the things He does for us.

Sometimes people literally need a cup of cold water. Sometimes is it the spiritual Living Water they need most of all. Regardless of the need, are we as Christians ready to help meet the need? Or do we buzz by in our hurried lives too busy to care or notice? I believe we like to think we would help but when the rubber meets the road, do we? I know I have been guilty of wanting to help, telling myself I would but my life got in the way more or less. My needs had to be met, too, after all. Didn’t they? My schedule was hectic and crazy, maybe I can help later. Maybe I’ll call to check on them; maybe I won’t get around to it. My intentions were good but my follow through fell through instead. “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these…”

Let’s ask the Lord to help us be the water bearers in life, sharing the Living Water first and foremost and offering a cup of cold water to those around us in need.