Tuesday; December 22

During a recent Bible Class, we got to talking about hospitality. In all honesty, we don’t talk too much about this in our society – and certainly not this year – but, often overlooked in the purpose of Christians is the need to show hospitality to others. There are a few references to hospitality in the New Testament, including John’s praise of a Christian named Gaius who seemed to excel in taking care of traveling Christians. After a bit of praise John writes, “We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.” (III John 1:8).
As I thought about this Christian virtue, I got to thinking about how it plays out in today’s society. In our modern culture, I don’t know of many people who are in desperate need of a place to stay or something to eat. I am sure there are some, but for the most part, our society has done a pretty good job of providing for these folks, so how can we be hospitable? The more I pondered this issue, the more I began to think that our modern need is less about physical needs and more along the lines of the emotional concerns people have. I know more people who are lonely than are hungry. I know more people who need a confident to talk to than those who need a bed to sleep in. Hospitality today might be accurately described as companionship. Even if we don’t end up being best buds, we can help people overcome their loneliness and isolation.
Do you know someone who is lonely? Probably not because if you know them, they most likely have friends – so that means we are going to have to look outside our circle. Sure, it might be a good idea to spend a little extra time with people we know, but I want to encourage us to find those who are chronically lonely and make a difference in their lives. Again, they may not be easy to find, but if we watch and listen, we’ll probably be able to spot them.
Let’s be hospitable. We should continue to support our local food pantries and homeless shelters, but let’s extend our reach to those who are lonely.

Think About It!

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