When Shadrach came to the US, he initially came to live with my family. This was something I had not counted on when I started out with a commitment to sponsor his education. You see, we thought that his education would be in Africa but the ongoing civil war in Liberia made that impossible. As time went on it became apparent that coming to the US to study was imperative. I felt that I had formed a solid bond with Shad through our letters, but we had never met face to face. Having a refugee from Africa come to live in my home was way out of my comfort zone. He was a stranger from a foreign land and a different culture. God was really stretching me to trust. In retrospect, there was nothing for me to fear, but at the time I didn’t know that.
In Matthew 25, Jesus makes very personal statements about who are His true followers and who are not. “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” When one of His followers act in this way towards those in need, in essence they are doing it for Jesus. Isn’t this hospitality in the broadest sense of the word? It’s often easy to simply give to organizations that are doing these very things and feel that we are living up to what Jesus asked. But are we really?
I believe Jesus wants us to get out of our comfort zone and make the statements in Matthew personal. It’s comfortable to contribute when it’s someplace else but what if it’s right in your own backyard? Do our churches really show hospitality to the stranger when they come into our building? Are we known as simply a friendly church or are we truly welcoming? These two things are very different you know.
When Jesus walked this earth, He pretty much hung around with outcasts and losers and He was chastised for that by the religious people of His day. He spent His time with prostitutes and tax collectors who were considered the low lifes of society. He didn’t mind that the woman at the well was a despised Samaritan and he healed the servant of a Roman. They were both foreigners. People with disabilities and diseases were with Him always and He didn’t turn them away. He met people where they were and loved them there. This is just what He did. He got to know them. They were His friends.
I witnessed Jesus in action this last week at my church when a stranger walked in. The man was just passing through and decided to stop by. Someone invited him to join our Sunday school class. We paused in what we were doing, got him up to speed on what we were studying and included him in the discussion. After Sunday school he was accompanied up to the worship service. When church was over, we were having a pitch-in lunch. He was invited to stay for the meal and numerous people talked with him. We found out he was out of work and so we’re now looking for opportunities for him. He was sent home with 2 bags of groceries for his family. We may never see him again but he knows he has friends at this church and he’s welcome anytime.
I am fairly new to this church but I’ve come to know that this kind of hospitality is their norm. They don’t really have any strangers in their midst. Everyone is a friend. They meet people where they are and love them there.
Who are the strangers Jesus is asking you to befriend? Are they of a different race or culture like Shad? Maybe they have disabilities or are mentally ill. They could have addictions to alcohol, drugs or porn. Perhaps they are an ex-con. What if they are gay or they choose to cohabit? Can you love them right where they are even if they are radically different from you or they’re not living in a way you think they should? This is radical hospitality. Jesus is calling each of us out of our comfort zone to reach out to the stranger with love, not condemnation. Are you ready to befriend the stranger Jesus puts in your path today?
