Just a Cup of Water

"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:40

A couple years ago I was wandering a large campus in hot and humid Texas during a homeschool conference. The year before I had been right hand man (figuratively, of course, since I'm not a man) to the head of hospitality during this same conference and had never had a moment to rest as I was constantly involved in getting something for this or that speaker, overseeing the girls cleaning, making a request on my walkie, checking people in the meal line, and hauling this basket of goodies or that special request to the other side of campus.
This year was different. I was still on staff but with no special position, and no great avenue to help important people. I cleaned some bathrooms, stalked some dorms, moved lots of towels, and generally just had to search for little ways to make a difference.
Honestly, I was frustrated, and as I walked around that day I asked God why in the world I was there. I was giving up precious time with my family, was in the middle of an advanced study course and had an assignment over due, and didn't seem to have much to show for it. I wondered if I was wasting my time.
God didn't say anything, but I looked up and saw a girl coming toward me with a camera around her neck. Her name was Julie and we had been roommates the first few days I was there until the conference started and she joined the photography class.
"How's it going?" I asked.
"Ug. The instructors are pretty hard on us. I'm hot, so tired, and really thirsty." She looked ready to cry.
I looked down at the water bottle I had just grabbed and back at her.
"Uh, here. I just picked this up. Haven't even opened it."
She accepted it gratefully and walked away.
That was it.
But then God said something.
"If just a cup of water I place in your hands, then just a cup of water is all that I demand."
Sometimes He asks us to give up our lives, our comfort, our finances, our dreams, our time...
And sometimes He just asks for a cup of water.
Great or small, He sees it as precious.
If I had failed my course just so that I could be there to give Julie a cup of water, I think it would have been worth it.