1. “Starfish Story” originally written by Loren Eiseley.
"One day a man was walking along the beach, when he noticed a boy picking up starfish and throwing them into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “Excuse me, but what are you doing?"
The boy replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The sun is rising and tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
The man laughed to himself and said, “But there's too many starfish on this beach. You can’t possibly make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean. Then, turning to the man, he said, " 'I made a difference to that one.' “
2. “Free Hugs” Story
The most profound part of their two-hour hugging experiment was when a middle-aged man received a hug and began to cry while one of the women embraced him. She asked him, “Sir, can I ask why you are crying?” Brushing back the tears, he replied, “It has just been so long since I was given a hug by anyone. I forgot what it was like.”
3. Story about Listening
Listening to a friend and just did not have anything to say. It didn't seem right to give my opinion just words of comfort. And I admitted that I felt bad that I didn’t have anything concrete in which to solve his relationship problem and he said, “you know, of all my friends, you’re the only one who really spent time just to listen. And I think all i needed to know was that someone cared enough to just feel the pain along with me. To me, that is so much more valuable than advice.”
'I made a difference to that one.' “ I forgot what it was like. I needed to know was that someone cared enough to just feel the pain along with me. In each of these stories: we have seemingly minimal acts that had great impact. As we will see, this is thematic within our Gospel text today.
In Jesus’ mission discourse here in Matthew 10, he begins with giving his disciples authority to do the things he was doing. After giving them this authority he reveals to them the cost. There will be persecution. You will be sheep among wolves. On top of this there will be division of families. Your very own family will likely reject you or disown you. The message of the Gospel can be polarizing and divisive for those who reject it.
There is sacrifice for those who follow Jesus. We talked about this little last week, how you don’t have to lose your life in the very literal sense to lose your life. The disciple’s lives would be on the line for sure, but first, life as they knew it would most likely be tested significantly. But in all of this Jesus assures his disciples of reward.
You are not doing this for nothing.
And this is where the small things with great impact theme comes in. But more than that, this relates to identity. Jesus says those who receive you receive me. Disciples of Jesus have their identity intertwined with him. They are ambassadors of him. Bringers of Jesus to others. What a responsibility, right?
And Jesus goes on to conclude: “And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple -- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
So what does this mean? What is the significance of a cold cup of water and whom are “these little ones” Jesus is referring to?
Well, you remember two Sundays ago when Jesus had compassion on the crowd because they were like sheep without a shepherd?
Yeah those folks. Those folks are “these little ones.” It’s certainly no coincidence that Jesus gives his disciples authority to do the same things he’s doing - heal the sick - drive out unclean spirits - because there are so many who are like sheep without a shepherd. And the Good Shepherd is here to lay down his life for his sheep. To be that sacrificial lamb. To be the Lord that dies and rises again to gather all sheep under his care.
A cold cup of water may seem like a small thing. In fact, it is. This may be precisely the point. Even the smallest, seemingly insignificant act of love or mercy could have a lasting impact upon someone else. Whether it be satiating the thirst of of one of these little ones, extending hugs to unsuspecting strangers, or lending a listening ear to a neighbor in need. Sometimes we make being a disciple of Jesus too difficult. Too grandiose. We imagine sidewalk-conversions and Billy Graham crusades. But discipleship can include much smaller displays of Jesus’ love toward others.
Yes, Jesus sends his disciples to heal the sick and to drive out demons here in Matthew 10. But he also tells them to give a cold cup of water to a neighbor who needs it. Yes, the power of Christ goes with us, but do we need to drive out the demons or heal the sick in order to follow Jesus?
On second thought, what if in extending the simple gesture of a hug, the demons of insecurity and loneliness were driven out? What if there was deep emotional healing that took place within the heart of the man who had not been given such affection in some time? What if, in listening to that neighbor instead of giving cliche advice, what if that was the Holy Spirit at work through us extending love and grace in their time of pressing need? Perhaps Jesus does give us the power to do these very things, but because we may not see a physical manifestation of healing or whatever, we discount it as nothing? But it is something. Jesus says so. And he sends us out saying, yeah you may experience some difficulty with others in following me, but there will be reward. You will see hearts moved. You will see the Holy Spirit do his thing. You will see people changed because of small acts of mercy.
A little bit of grace goes along way. Especially when this grace doesn’t belong to us. It’s a gift of God.
The beautiful thing is, we don’t have to save the world. That is Jesus’ work, not ours. He is restoring and renewing and reclaiming all things to himself. We don’t have to do that. We are just sent out to share a slice of what His love looks like to others. Whether it be a glass of water or a hug, this is all God’s work. Let’s have our eyes and hears open to those whom God puts in our paths.
A cold cup of water in the city of Portland can make a huge difference, because it is action. So many ill-fated words have grazed the ears of people in this city. Our neighbors need the love of Christ. Not another Christian telling them what to do. They need a follower of Jesus to share life, speak life, and extend grace - being “little Christ’s.”
I think that we sometimes see this city like the beach full of starfish. There are so many people with pressing needs. Or even, so many people who reject Jesus - they are all lost causes.
But perhaps when we see a beach full of starfish. Instead of discounting the work of having mercy on the ones we can, we throw them into the ocean one by one. Knowing that it made a difference to that one. Knowing that even a glimpse of the love of Christ can transform lives. Even a cup of water extended in mercy can let someone know they are loved. Even a hug outside of a market can bring the ripeness of resurrection where the decay of death once reigned. Even a listening ear and a closed mouth can bring abundant life into places where anxiety & fear has taken hold.
This is the power of God working in and through us to others. This is the power of the Good Shepherd laying his life down for his sheep so that those who follow false shepherds may make their way into the arms of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and extends the cold cup of water of his kingdom, or abundant life to all.
