A Cup Of Water...

"Lensee, can I have some water?"

I hear these words all too often. Most of the time, I roll my eyes and say, "Can't you go home to get a glass of water?" In my mind I'm thinking, "I just did dishes! Can't my home stay clean for 5 seconds? They live one apartment down and have had all afternoon to get a drink from their own mom. Why must they always drink here?

But a quiet nudge always gets me and God brings to mind the verse:

Matthew 10:42 "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."

And so, I pull out a glass, sometimes the fancy "Princess goblet" and give them a drink, realizing that I might be the only Christian they will ever know well due to the fact that they are going back to Mexico in a year. I give them a drink hoping that my service and consistency in doing little things for them will cause their memories of me to be joyful ones. What good is it if I'm teaching them Bible songs, hymns, and John 3:16 if I have not love? What good does it do if I loan them our Christian videos, read to them from the Spanish Bible and give them Christian literature in Spanish if the one example they have of a Christian is selfish and easily irritated or continually busy?

No, it's not fun when they continually run through the house when I'm trying to make dinner. It's not fun that they sometimes hurt my baby in trying to play with him or that they drip a trail of blue popsicle throughout my house on cream-colored carpet. There is a lot of extra work in serving and it's not glamorous. But...it is rewarding!

Now...you're probably wondering why there is a picture of fish with this post. The neighbors had to leave for a week on a family emergency and so I get to "fish-sit." I find it comical that the fish are named "Lindsey, Ali, Jer, and Fernonda." (Fernanda is the owner of the fish.) Just a tiny example of how much influence we have on these little ones! It's going to be an interesting week trying to keep Ali out of the fish bowl. I've already caught her spitting in it! And one fish isn't looking so hot today......there may be a flushing when hubby gets home from work.......