Daily Devotional – October 20, 2023
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” -Matthew 10:42
I was a freshman in high school when our youth group loaded on to our big blue church bus and headed out for Mexico. We were helping a young, growing church build their new sanctuary. We were very excited for this work to be done in the city of Juarez. We knew the work would be hard, but we were eager to make a difference.
On our first day of work, we were asked to help dig the footings that would eventually be the corner posts for the sanctuary. We did not have access to earth moving equipment. We, along with our shovels, were the earth moving machinery. We started digging early that Monday morning. It was a hot day in June. The climate in this part of Mexico is dry. The ground was sand. It did not take long for us to get thirsty, as we dug these holes. We soon realized that we had forgotten something significant. Water.
It is important, at this point in the devotional, to remind us that when you are Mexico, you do not drink the tap water. You will get very sick.
Our Youth Director and another person left to go purchase drinking water for us. We continued to work. I am not sure how word got out that we needed water, but a woman, who lived across the street, boiled a pitcher of water, and brought it to us to drink. I can still remember seeing her walking across the sandy ground with the pitcher in hand. She wanted to care for us.
We were nervous to drink the water she had delivered. What if she had not boiled it long enough? Yikes! We also did not want to seem ungrateful. This was a thoughtful offering. She was thankful that we had to come to help with the new sanctuary. She was being a good neighbor.
I often think back on that small moment. I don’t think she realized the impact her offering of water would have on me. That kind act made a significant impact on our lives that day. That moment reminds me that when we go out of our way to help people, no matter how small our contribution, we can make a lasting impact. We can make a difference, if we are willing to share what we have so that others may be blessed.
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
