"The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.

Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward.

And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he's righteous will receive a righteous person's reward.

And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward."

Matthew 10:40-42 CSB

Jesus is aligning himself with the mission of the 12, and aligning them with him. 

And he seems to be sending a message about discerning and welcoming. 

And who else is there? Have some children gathered as Jesus was speaking?

Whether he is referring to the 12 as "little ones" or someone else, it's like Jesus is saying the people you come across, can you see me in them? At the very least give them the minimum hospitality that your culture requires, because when you give a "little one", someone smaller, someone with less, someone more vulnerable, someone further away from the centre than you, when you see them, give them water, it's aligning yourself with me, with my mission, and I'm aligning myself with you. 

#wordsofJesus

#redletterBible

#somethingtochewon

#wateroflife 

#lovepeople