A Cup of "Cool" Water

So, I woke up today ready for the vilification to begin after my letter last night (see my most recent post). Instead, as I was making the girls their breakfast, my oldest my daughter hollered across the house, "Daddy, sdomeone's at the door!" It was only 7:30, so I hought to myself, "oh great, the arrows are flying at me early!" But when I went to the door, a parishioner was standing there with a cup of coffee in his hands. He said, "I read your blog, and agree with what you are saying, and I think your decision was courageous." At which point he held out the cup of coffee and said, "So, I brought you a coffee." We chatted for a couple more minutes, then he left. And as I walked inside I felt absolutely supported and loved by this brother in Christ. Jesus words in Matthew 10 rang in my ears (words about persecution for following Jesus):

Matthew 10:32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. 34 Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40 Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. (ESV)