A Cup Of Cold Water (And Cash?)

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water

because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you,

he will by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison captures a real moment from a time and place that—thankfully—seems so unreal to me. Part of the magic comes from Cash’s comments between songs. He admits that he cannot truly relate to the prisoners, and yet, he sounds like he can.

Before one song, Cash asks for a glass of water. He takes a swig and says, “Ah, that’s water,” as in, It tastes horrible, but you can’t deny it’s water—it wouldn’t pass for anything else! Taste aside, Cash continues the performance. The cup of water was enough to keep him going.

We all sometimes need a drink of water to carry on. When you’re hot, tired, cranky, dry—just a small, cool drink of water can refresh your spirit. You press on, longing for the taller glass of water at the end.

Jesus sent out his disciples to proclaim the kingdom-nearness. He put them on roads that would be hot and dry. Jesus declares a blessing for anyone who will give a cup of cold water to these little ones—that is, those who are poor in spirit, who are otherwise overlooked.

The greater ones—the rich in spirit—will be noticed by those able to give them food and wine. The little ones, however, depend on their fellow littles, who can offer them only water. Wine is for celebration. It’s the water that keeps us going when there’s a job to do.

Who in your life can you bless today with a cup of cold water?