“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward”   (Matthew 10:42)

Commenting on this verse, Spurgeon said,“Well, I can do as much as that. I can do a kind act toward the LORD’s servant. The LORD knows l love them all and would count it an honor to wash their feet. For the sake of their Master, I love the disciples. How gracious of the LORD to mention so insignificant an action — “to give to drink a cup of cold water only”! This I can do, however poor: this I may do, however lowly: this I will do right cheerfully. This, which seems so little, the LORD notices — notices when done to the least of His followers. Evidently it is not the cost, nor the skill, nor the quantity, that He looks at, but the motive: that which we do to a disciple, because he is a disciple, his LORD observes and recompenses. He does not reward us for the merit of what we do but according to His riches of His grace. I give a cup of cold water, and He makes me to drink of living water. I give to one of His little ones, and He treats me as one of them. Jesus finds an apology for His liberality in that which His grace has led me to do, and He says, “He shall in no wise lose his reward.”

Those who are saved are rewarded for service. And no small reward shall it be, for Jesus said, “great is your reward in heaven”( Matt. 5:12). Now that ought to get our attention. How can we who have been given so much withhold so little from those who are thirsty?

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity-–Psalm 119:37
To be safe and secure we must ever be turning away from sin– focused on the good rather than the bad. Rather than setting our sights on things that are worthless we must be “looking unto Jesus”(Heb. 12:2), lest through the eye gate things enter that will defile and destroy. But,to do this we need divine aid. That’s why the Psalmist prayed for God’s help.

Certain flowers and plants are always turning in the direction of the sun, soaking up its rays and reaping its benefits. We should be so wise in our turning toward the Son, lest we endanger ourselves. However, knowing is one thing and doing is another. As easy as it might seem we cannot succeed without God’s help. Recognizing our need and resolving to acquire it is well and good, but never enough. We are like little children in a toy store or a candy shop– we want everything in sight. And we lack the discipline to resist the temptation without help from God. Everyday evil is clamoring for our attention and we must depend upon God to enable us, lest our attention is diverted and our actions are defiled. That’s why David said, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes”( Ps. 101:3).

No person is strong enough to stare at things that are vile without eventually becoming entangled in the vice. Either turn away or be taken in. You must  determine to look away and depend on the Lord for the strength to do it. Since the mind is not an empty vacuum, it will be filled with something– either good or bad. For that reason we must think on “whatsoever things are true–honest–just–pure–

As you go through this day, allow no unholy thought to stay in your mind. Look not upon anything that diverts your attention away from the one who is ” Altogether Lovely”—“the Sun of Righteousness”. In this is your safety and satisfaction. Be safe my friend!

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.– Col. 3:12

A pastor was commending Christ to a boy, expressing the hope that he would trust in Christ in his youth. “Religion is a continual joy,” he said. “Look at your sister, Sarah. How much that dear girl enjoys her religion!”

“Yes,” drawled the boy, with frank candor, “She may enjoy her religion–but nobody else in the house enjoys it!”

There are professing Christians of whom it is true that their families do not enjoy their religion. It is not sweet. It is not a comfort to people. It is critical, rasping, censorious, exacting. It was a serious condemnation of this girl’s religion, that her family did not enjoy it.

A keen observer has said, “Many a woman spoils her testimony in the church, by her tongue in the kitchen!”

Another has said, “There are people who lead us Heavenward–but stick pins in us all the way!”

In a conversation overheard on a railway train, one reports catching this fragment of talk: “Yes, I suppose she’s a Christian–but she certainly isn’t pleasant to live with!”

A Christian who isn’t pleasant to live with, is shameful. We may do all our duties faithfully, conscientiously, bearing our share of the burdens and cares–and yet, if we are not pleasant to live with, we fail in the most essential quality of love. An unlovely spirit, frowns and chilling looks, sharp impatient words–overbalance the painstaking Christian service that does so much to help in practical ways. What the person IS, often mars the value of what he DOES! ( J. R. Miller)

Many of us find life hard and full of pain. The world treats us meanly and roughly. We suffer wrongs and injuries. Other people’s clumsy feet tread upon our tender hearts. We must endure misfortunes, trials, and disappointments. We cannot avoid these things, but we should not allow the harsh experiences to deaden our sensibilities, or make us stoic or sour. The true aim of living, is to keep our hearts sweet and gentle amid the hardest conditions and experiences.
 
If you remove the snow from the hillside in the late winter, you will find sweet flowers growing there, beneath the cold drifts, unhurt by the storm and by the snowy blankets that have covered them. Just so, should we keep our hearts tender and sensitive beneath life’s fiercest winter blasts, and through the longest years of suffering, and even of injustice and wrong treatment. That is true, victorious living. –J. R. Miller