Extending Hospitality

 “Let us consider

how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds . . .”

Hebrews 10:24

The idea of hospitality being love for strangers has generated some interesting—and at times convicting—thoughts and discussion in our home lately.   Love for strangers can be practiced anywhere we are.

Hospitality is what the checkout lady should be getting from us.  Hospitality is what our fellow bus-riders should experience around us.  Folks who think very differently from us should still sense love from us.  How about hospitality toward our waitress, or even toward fellow travelers on the roadways?

If we are called to show love to strangers, is there anyone anywhere about which we could say, “Well, it doesn’t matter how I treat him, because I’ll never see him again anyway.”?

As our family was considering these things together, someone brought up a person that we don’t personally know, but whose actions we do not approve.  Somebody else joked that maybe he isn’t a such a stranger to us, because we know enough about that person to know that he is more like an enemy.  Then we remembered that not only are we called to love fellow Christians (whom we may know well) deeply from the heart, and practice hospitality (love for strangers) toward people we don’t know well, but we are called to love our enemies, too.  And that leaves no one outside the reach of the love our Lord asks us to extend.

Lately, I have been struck by the incredible love and concern that the apostle Paul expressed in his letter to the Christians at Colossae.  “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you . . .”  (Colossians 1:9).  Some of those he was writing to—and praying for—he had never even met; they were people he’d only heard about.

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf, and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from a full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  Colossians 2:1-3

Our prayers may never be the same again, as we express love for strangers by praying for people we haven’t met.  Even a simple trip to the store may never be the same again either.

Recently, I had the privilege of staying in a Bed and Breakfast in Illinois whose motto is “Arrive as guests; leave as friends.”  That indeed is an accurate description of my experience there.  My hostess knew how to go beyond the scrumptious food and cozy accommodations she offered, to express genuine love and care for her guests; she understood what hospitality really is.

Most people have some idea of how to be nice to their friends.  But God's people are called to go beyond that.  For the sake of the Lord’s reputation, let’s be the radical people, the people who are marveled at, who would dare to treat strangers as friends.

Our family would love to hear, by way of comments, any avenues of practicing love for strangers that you may think of.  We can spur one another on toward love and good deeds in Jesus’ name and for His sake.

If you missed the previous post on hospitality, you can find it by clicking here.