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
a new home
or even a drink of water
what happened?
Were you offered what you needed?
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?
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?
[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
