Mark 9:41-”I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” Jesus told His disciples this many years ago when He was walking among them before His crucifixion. A cup of water may seem like a small thing to give to another, but Jesus said that if you give it in His name, you will certainly not lose your reward. We may not think that we are achieving much in this life and may not be a huge success in the eyes of our peers, but if we are doing what we are here to do, bringing glory to God’s name, then we are being successful where it really counts—in the eyes of God. Some of the little things that we do because we love the Savior are important to God, meet His approval and will be rewarded. Though we think little of them while we are doing them, our kind words and loving deeds please God and glorify Him. Through them we fulfill, at least in part, the purpose for which He 
created us. Awareness of this should work as a challenge to us. It should provides us with incentive to develop personal holiness and the “fruit of the Spirit.” Peter wrote, “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ “ (I Peter 1:15-16) In John 15:9-12, Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” If we have a vision of bringing glory to the name of Jesus and love others as He commanded in
these verses, we will have real inner joy—joy that does not depend of relationships with other individuals, not even our children and grandchildren. It will come from a knowledge of what life is for and the translation of that knowledge into reality. In Galatians 6:10, Paul tells us to “do good to all people , especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Becoming more like Jesus means learning to love without conditions and to give freely of ourselves. We have an opportunity daily to allow the love of Christ to flow through us, to make a positive contribution for the Lord. There is always enough time for God’s purpose to be accomplished through us. May we all strive to do what God has for us to do and to bring glory to His Precious Holy Name.