Entertaining Strangers

Entertaining Strangers

Hebrews 13:1-3 “Let brotherly love continue.  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.  Remember the prisoners as if chained with them; those who are mistreated.”

There is a growing ministry among the down-an-outs, the homeless, the disadvantaged. In the old days, William Booth held early Salvation Army meetings which he called, “Jam and Glory Meetings”. These were meetings where the poor were invited to eat and have a cup of tea. Their “price” for attending was to listen to a gospel message in the hope of saving one or two of them. Nowadays, there are many wonderful church outreaches where there is a similar pattern set – food for the body first followed by food for the soul.

This ministry is surely one of the best we can offer the world. It seems to me to epitomise Jesus teaching about loving our neighbours as ourselves. He said that, even as we do it “for the least of these”, so we do it for Him. This means that every time we extend a little help anybody – anybody – so we are doing it for Him. The people said then, as we may well do now, “But Lord, when did we feed you, or clothe you, or help you in any way?” His answer was just about perfect – “Inasmuch as you did it for the least of these, you did it for Me.”

Do you get it yet? It is hard to think in these terms because these terms are from an eternal perspective not from our ‘today’ perspective. Thinking in terms of doing things for Jesus is like thinking we can approach the most important person in the world and simply offer them a cup of tea or coffee. Yet it truly is as simple as that. Every time we approach a widow or an orphan or someone who is simply disadvantaged or at their wits end, Jesus says we are approaching him with that hand of love – His love.

Isn’t that a stunning thought? And as the writer of Hebrews so succinctly put it – we may unwittingly be “entertaining angels” sent to us by God for whatever He purposed. What an amazing gifting hospitality can be. A gift from God to entertain strangers. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate either. A simple cup of water or tea or coffee. Maybe a simple meal.

Just think – you may be doing it for angels, or just for the person in front of you who needs a touch of kindness from Jesus today.