Hospitality

Today’s passage provides an additional reason for extending hospitality to others–the possibility of entertaining someone you did not expect. In the Old Testament, Abraham and Lot welcomed angels into their homes (Genesis 18:1-8; 19:1-3). And, in the case of Abraham, at least one of the strangers seemed to be the Lord God. The writer of Hebrews had these events in mind when he urged his readers to invite strangers into their homes (Hebrews 13:2). 

Of course, Jesus added another layer to our welcome. In the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, He explained that whatever we do for “the least of these,” we do for Him (see Matthew 25:37-40). Whenever we welcome a stranger, invite the lonely into our sphere of friendship, or warmly greet a new neighbor with a gift, we are showing hospitality to the Lord Jesus.

So, if we are hesitant to reach out in the way the Lord has placed upon our hearts, afraid of how the other person will respond, or wary of the cost, let us remember the One we serve. The impact we could have is not only one of friendship or the opportunity to bless another’s life, but also an act that affects eternity. As our Savior said to those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and invited the stranger: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34, NIV).