[Jesus speaking]
Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.

--Parallel verses:
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬-‭21‬
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

I envision a ruler from a foreign country coming to the United States. He is joined by his Ambassador who tells him, “These people were particularly kind and thoughtful to us over the last year”. The ruler visits each one and delivers rich gifts and rewards to them. He blesses and honors them for treating his representatives well.

In the same way here, Jesus is speaking about spiritual ambassadors: disciples, prophets, righteous people, and children of faith. And he tells these people that if they are welcomed by others, those who welcome them will receive rewards.

I find this passage convicting. These two questions arise: 1) When I am visiting others, how well do I represent Jesus? 2) How well do I treat God’s people who visit my town from other places?

Lord, help me to be readily hospitable. You're my Sovereign, my King! May I treat your people as I would treat you.