Following Jesus: Welcoming or Welcomed

This short passage from the Gospel of Matthew continues on from our readings the past few weeks. Jesus calls the disciples and tells them they will go out in pairs, proclaiming the good news:

“…the kingdom of heaven will soon be here. Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy, and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid. Don’t take along any gold, silver, or copper coins. And don’t carry a traveling bag or an extra shirt or sandals or a walking stick.” Matthew 10:7-9 CEV

The disciples have been warned that some will hate them, there will be divisions within families, and then this short section, about the rewards for those who welcome the disciples.

…

When Ian and I moved into the manse, there were some yummy slices, and lovely flowers when we arrived; and later that day, dinner arrived. A wonderful welcome.

I wonder when you have felt particularly welcomed? What was it that you appreciated or made it so special?

…

“anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will surely be rewarded.”

This verse is usually considered to mean that something as simple as a glass of cool water will be rewarded. You don’t have to do anything elaborate.

But at that time there was no fridge in the corner, and water was drawn from the well, and kept in clay jars, on hot days, the water would warm up. To give a guest a cup of cold water required an extra measure of hospitality. An unplanned trip to the well, to gather more water so it could be served before it warmed up. A drink of cold water was exceptional. This was exceptional hospitality that stretches the hostess and host beyond the ordinary.[i]

I wonder when you have done something exceptional for someone you didn’t know well?

…….

Have there been times when you needed hospitality or welcome:

when you were looking for a place to rest, or
     a new home
     or even a drink of water

what happened?
Were you offered what you needed?

…

It is one thing to offer a welcome, “into church, or your home, or your life. You have the power. You get to make the decisions as to whom you’ll invite and when. You can control the circumstances, the setting, and the surroundings. You are able to determine when the welcoming will come to an end.

It’s a completely different situation, however, when find yourself on the other side -- the one being welcomed. The one at the mercy of another.”[ii]

Welcoming goes both ways. It is wonderful when we offer a welcome to another person, and it is important to do that. But how often do we accept the welcome of another?

The disciples may have travelled empty-handed, but not empty hearted. They were sent to heal and liberate and announce the good news of the coming kingdom of God.

What gifts do you see in people who come looking for a welcome?

When new people come into:
     our church or our lives,
      our community or our country,
do we see potential,
    or trouble
do we see gifts
     or a burden?

The disciples relied on being welcomed into a home while they were out healing and liberating people. They relied on food and water from people they didn’t know. 

This requires a level of vulnerability.

When we start to imagine what it must feel like to rely on the welcome of others, perhaps then we will have a sense of the kind of vulnerability Jesus knew and Jesus lived. When you have to depend on another, perhaps even for a meal and a place to sleep, trust steps through that door first. When you allow yourself to be welcomed, perhaps that can be the first step to letting go of thinking you are not enough.^[iii]

Are we willing to be vulnerable in our welcoming and allowing ourselves to be welcomed?

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[i] Rev. Debra Jene in https://revgalblogpals.org/2017/06/27/revised-common-lectionary-a-cup-of-cold-water/

[ii] https://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?m=4377&post=4931

[iii] https://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?m=4377&post=4931