Lots of Company!

Last weekend we had lots of company.  It seemed to be a series of visits in our home for one dinner after another.  On Saturday some friends who this past year had moved out of the area came back for a visit and that night had dinner with us.  On Sunday, Kim and I were blessed to have a young missionary couple come eat with us after our Sunday services.  And, on Monday we received a call from a couple from North Jersey whom we have known for many years; they were in the area and wanted to stop by and see us—so, we gave them dinner as well.  I have to say, Kim is a real trooper when it comes to entertaining guests.  Before you know it, she has a cake in the oven and dinner on the table. 

We tend to love having people in our home.  In fact, our children grew up with lots of people, and all kinds of people, coming in and out of our home.  They got used to the missionaries, evangelists, family, friends, and church families sitting at our dinner table.  They knew that their friends were always welcome.  It got to the point that, when we didn’t have company coming to eat with us after a Sunday service, they thought something was wrong.  At times it felt as if we never knew who would be at our table next. 

Unfortunately, in today’s culture, few people open up their homes to others.  After all, people are so busy, running from one event to the next that they have little time for hospitality.  Missionaries such as we had in our home last week have told us, they rarely get to visit with a pastor and his family in their home; most of the time they are in restaurants.  As I observe our church people today, I find less and less people invite others to their homes. And if they do, it is often a very small circle of friends. 

The Bible speaks much about hospitality.  Peter wrote, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9 – NIV) Paul wrote, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”  (Romans 12:13 – NIV)  And in the book of Hebrews we read, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”  (Hebrews 13:2 – NIV)  In fact, the word used in Hebrews specifically speaks of having a love for strangers—i.e. people with whom we are not closely associated; more specifically the word alludes to the alien, foreigner, immigrant.  It’s a call to open up our homes to people outside our own circle. 

I want to encourage you today to follow the mandate of scripture to open up not just your home, but your life to those around you.  Maybe today seek out someone who may need your hospitality.  By doing so, you just may end up associating with an “angel”—i.e. a messenger of God for your life—and experience the blessing of God that they may bring into your life. 

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris