Angels and Strangers

 "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that, some have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2

    My folks supported the work of missionaries, so when one such servant of the Lord came visiting our church, I was not surprised to hear we'd be having him stay at our house. In fact, he would be using my room, I was told, so I set about to make it welcoming. Since he was from Zimbabwe, I took my cues from my limited knowledge of this far away country in Africa, foraging for anything I could find that had an animal print on it, such as a giraffe or zebra pattern, and decorated my room with them. It felt good to practice hospitality. 

    When Jesus walked this earth, there were several occasions when he was the guest at someone's home. As he and his disciples passed through a village, a resident there named Martha opened her home to him (Luke 10: 38-41). Can you imagine how stressed out she was, bustling around preparing a meal for the Son of God? "Will the meat be tender enough?" she may have muttered, "I wonder if he'll notice that stain on the tablecloth? Maybe I should make an angel food cake? Oh no! I burned the biscuits!" By contrast, her sister, Mary, sat at the feet of the Savior and listened to him. 

    A Pharisee named Simon had Jesus over for dinner, too, but the reception was not quite the same (Luke 7: 36-50). This man didn't greet him with the customary kiss, provide water for his feet or oil for his head. Perhaps Simon didn't realize who Jesus was? But the sinful woman, who'd heard of this Divine Guest, crashed the party, poured perfume on his feet and wiped them with her hair while she wept with contrition. 

    The tables were turned for Zacchaeus, the vertically-challenged tax collector who, in his effort to see Jesus, climbed a sycamore tree (Luke 19: 1-10). Once directly beneath those dangling feet, Jesus looked up and called him by name, imploring him to come down "for I'm going to your house today!" (How many of you are singing the Sunday School song about Zacchaeus in your head right now?) Can you imagine that? Jesus invites himself over for dinner to your house? What would your response be? "Ahem, ah, well...you see... I wasn't prepared to have company and my place is a pig sty...How 'bout another time?" 

    Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks. He'd so like to come in and eat with you, even if there are dust bunnies running across the floor. He loves you, just as you are, and he longs for you to ask him to stay. Once you confess you need His help, He'll clean your place. Then you can offer hospitality to others. In Deuteronomy 10:19, the Lord said, "You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." You never know who's at the door...could be Jesus!