A CUP of cold water. A little thing that! It might entail the exertion of drawing it from the well, or of turning on the tap. It would not even involve the trouble of heating it.
The cup of cold water is handed to “one of these little ones” (Matt. 10:4242And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42)). Someone, you see, of no importance, yet one of these. Our Lord referred to those, whom just then He was sending forth. They were men of no importance in themselves, yet they were followers and representatives of HIM.
And the cup of cold water is given to one of these little ones “in the name of a disciple.” We might give him the cup of cold water, moved to do so by the fact that he is related to a friend of ours. Then we give it to him in the name of a friend. If we give it for no other reason than that he is a disciple of our Lord, then we give it in the name of a disciple. He who so gives “shall in no wise lose his reward.”
The reward is pledged by His, “Verily I say unto you.” It is not so little in His eyes, after all.