A successful man known for his generosity was driving
his new car through a poor part of town. A boy tried to flag him down. The man
didn’t want to get involved, so he pretended he didn’t see the child. As he
slowed for a red traffic light, he heard a loud crash. Someone had thrown a
brick at his car, denting the trunk.
The man stopped, jumped out of his car and grabbed the
boy that threw the brick. “You juvenile delinquent!” he yelled. “You’ll pay for
this or go to jail!”
“I’m sorry, mister,” the boy cried. “My mom’s lying on
the floor in our apartment. I think she’s dying. Our phone’s been cut off and
I’ve been trying for ten minutes to get someone to stop. I didn’t know what
else to do! Take me to jail, but please, call a doctor for my mom first.”
The man was filled with shame. “I’m a doctor,” he said
and asked, “Where is she?” The boy took him to his mother and the doctor
administered CPR and called an ambulance.
“Will she live?” the boy sobbed. “Yes, son, she will,”
the doctor said. “Then it’s worth going to jail. I’m sorry I ruined your car.
You can take me in now.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” the doctor said. “It was
my fault you had to throw a brick to get my attention.”
The doctor made sure the boy was taken care of, and as
he drove home he resolved not to fix the dent. He would keep it as a reminder
that not everyone in need has a brick to throw.
What Jesus is telling us to do in the reading from
Matthew’s Gospel is similar to the famous Golden Rule-“Do unto others”. A cup
of cold water is a gift that everyone can give because it is the smallest of
gifts. Even this, the smallest of gifts, is precious to the person receiving
it, because it sometimes it is the gift of life.
We are to do this for everyone we meet, because the
recipient could be an angel, prophet or Jesus in disguise. It can mean
providing material support such as food, clothing or shelter. It can also mean
accepting the truth of our guest’s message. We must be prepared to pay the
costs-financial, personal and danger. It is expensive to provide for living
expenses. Our personal space and privacy are invaded. We could be caught in the
opposition/persecution that the prophet would face. Jesus even said that hatred
and persecution would get so bad that anyone who offered his sent ones a mere
cup of cold water would receive a divine reward
Those who do God’s work can be assured that those who
help them will be rewarded. Doing God’s work includes healing and those who are
in the health care profession, such as the staff here at Queens Manor. They often leave personal comforts such as
family time to care for the needs of others. When they care for the residents,
they show the love Jesus showed us when he lived among us. When we serve
others, we serve Jesus, just like Jesus and his disciples served others.
We are to show compassion for others by caring for the
sick, comforting those who mourn, etc. This is contrary to our “me-first”,
selfish culture. It will loosen our hold on our possessions, lives, and so on,
but these small beginnings are the seed of a different kind of happiness-the
happiness that only the Christian life provides.
Even small gifts can make a big difference. It is a
reminder of the old adage that “big things come in small packages”. To offer
hospitality, care and compassion, we simply have to bring who we are, what we
have, where we are. It requires attention to the person receiving the
hospitality. We have to receive the person first before they can receive the
benefit of the gift we offer.
To Jesus, hospitality meant acceptance, even those
who, in his society and in his day, were deemed to be unacceptable. This is why
he put his arms around lepers, ate with tax collectors and sinners, forgave
adulterers and broke Sabbath laws. Hospitality was not only important to Jesus,
it was at the very heart of being God, and it didn’t make any difference to him
where such hospitality took place, or to whom, or on what day.
When it comes to hospitality, we take turns being the
host and being the guest. Sometimes we are the ones who simply need the hug or
cup of water and kindness comes. Other times, we are the ones providing the hug
or cup of water. The “little ones” Jesus refers to are frequently the
scapegoats or victims in our society. They are the powerless, the weak, the
hurting, the abused, the abandoned, the elderly or children, and they are often
the easiest targets for our wrath. They need the help and compassion that Jesus
offers through us. When we help them, we have the power to bring others unto a
relationship with God, the power to show others God’s love by showing them our
love, the power to bring them face to face with God by bringing them face to
face with us.
Bibliography
1.
Charles
F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV
2.
Exegesis
for Matthew 10:40-42. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.org
3.
Richard
Inness, “Listen to the Whisper”. Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
4.
Leslie
Snyder, “Uncommon Courtesy”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
5.
Jeanne
Schuller, “Through the Din Comes a Call”. Retrieved from http://onlineministeries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/062611b.html
6.
The
Rev. Dr. Trace Haythorn, “The Art of Welcome’. Retrieved from www.day1.org
7.
The
Rev. Beth Quick, “The Friendly Church”. Retrieved from www.bethquick.com/sermon6-26-05.htm
8.
The
Rev. Dr. James B. Lemier, “Sermon for the 6th Sunday after
Pentecost”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
9.
Barnes’
Notes on the New Testament. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
10. The Peoples’ New Testament. Part of
Lessonmaker Bible software package.
11. The Rev. Dr. James D. Kegel,
“Encouragement”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.org
12. Dr. Randy L. Hyde, “The Stranger at the
Door”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.org
13. Pastor Steve Molin, “Sittin’ on God’s
Porch”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.org
14. Daniel Clendenin, PhD, “A Rabble of
Blasphemous Conspirators: Proclamation and Reception of the Early Believers”.
Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net/index.shtml
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