^“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 (NIV)

There is a member of our congregation who calls me regularly to share a great quotation or an especially meaningful devotional. She has taken the time to do this for years. She knows that I collect quotations. It is always a welcome call and seems to come just when I need it most.

Another church member calls almost every day to see how our day has gone and to see if we need anything. What a blessing. A third member calls just to inquire how things are going. We share our stories with one another because we are dealing with very similar circumstances and our calls strengthen one another.

The wife of a close friend is a fantastic baker. Two or three times a month her husband will bring us a loaf of her home baked bread or cinnamon rolls. Not only do these fill our kitchen with a heavenly aroma, but her thoughtfulness fills our hearts with gratitude. Of course, she has removed the calories.

These are blessing freely given and I am grateful for these expressions of Christian love, thoughtfulness and caring. I have chosen gratitude as my theme for the year. I held it over from last year. It reminds me that we are not alone and that we accomplish absolutely nothing without the help and support of others. I am convinced that God brings people into our lives when we most need them. They are gifts.

There is a wonderful Catholic/Episcopal benediction that says, “We leave as the church to go with love to serve God and one another.” It is a great reminder that we do not leave church, we leave as the church to love and to serve.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for Christian friends who share your love with those around them. Help me to be grateful and to follow their examples. Amen

*These were published as an insert in the First Baptist Church of Charleston Builder June 4, 2017.

Tags: caring, gifts, quotations, thoughtful