He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.
Although I've seen this verse exploited and misused by televangelists and prosperity preachers, there is, nevertheless, a legitimate principle that we ought to always consider. The principle concerns blessing those who are doing God's work.
Jesus says whoever receives (accepts, blesses, provides for) you as a minister of the Gospel and apprentice of Jesus receives Him; and whoever receives Him, receives the Father. He then fleshes this thought out a little. Whoever receives a prophet (preacher, teacher, missionary, etc.) receives the prophet's reward. I believe this means that those who provide and enable ministers (in any capacity) to minister will be spiritually credited with the fruit of the ministry along with the minister as it is team effort -those providing and enabling and those ministering. But then Jesus broadens the concept further to include any righteous people, not just prophets and ministers and missionaries. When we see people living righteous lives and we bless them, encourage them, pray for them, provide for them, etc., we receive the spiritual rewards produced by their faithful, righteous lives.
This blessing of God's people can be, of course, through large significant gifts which enable large significant ministry -but Jesus reminds us that significant Kingdom ministry also occurs in simple gestures like giving a glass of cold water to someone who thirsts. And the best part is that we are promised that God is watching the big and the small and every time we bless someone in Jesus name, we will be blessed ourselves.
Who can you bless today?
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