Earlier this week I wrote the following post, calling us to make a difference in the lives of others.
http://firstthingsfirst5.blogspot.com/2011/05/we-can-make-difference.html
Thousands of years ago, Paul wrote his own "blog" and it has been preserved for us to read and follow. In this passage, Paul calls Christians to a life of service to God and others, stating that we should be about the business of "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality," (Romans 12:13). What does it mean to be given to hospitality?
Hospitality is defined by Merriam-Webster as "given to generous and cordial reception of guests; promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome; offering a pleasant or sustaining environment; readily receptive." The words that jump out at me are generous, cordial, pleasant, sustaining, readily receptive. In a world that is full of busy people who are rushing around, day after day, there is very little time and energy left to practice hospitality. Hospitality requires deliberate effort and spontaneity.
Why be hospitable? For me the answer is quite simple, God asks His children to be an extension of His love to the world around us. If we are not reaching, loving, inviting, valuing others, who will? Every day we bump into people along the road of life. They may be neighbors, co-workers, cashiers, workers in our home and community, folks at church or family members. Do we shrug a cold shoulder and throw indifference their way? Or, do we open our eyes to see the loneliness, sorrow, worry and fear they may be walking in? Everyone has a story. Everyone has pain. Everyone wants to feel like they matter. Everyone needs to know that if they died today, someone would notice, someone would grieve their loss. Sadly, very few people have another soul to share their story or their pain with. Most folks feel invisible and worthless. Many know that if they died, very few would miss them and most would go on living like nothing happened. Is that how Jesus wants them to feel? Of course not! Jesus came to earth and lived a life of service, hospitality and extended grace and mercy to everyone He met. We are called to love as He loves, we are His hands and feet upon the earth today. What are we doing about it?
Matthew 25: 31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
We extend hospitality to others because our Master asks us to. If we call ourselves Christians, we are saying we are "followers of the anointed One." Jesus came to seek and save, He came to heal and hold. He placed us in the communities, homes, families, and churches where He knew His presence was needed. Are we serious about being His hands and feet?
http://firstthingsfirst5.blogspot.com/2011/05/we-can-make-difference.html
Thousands of years ago, Paul wrote his own "blog" and it has been preserved for us to read and follow. In this passage, Paul calls Christians to a life of service to God and others, stating that we should be about the business of "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality," (Romans 12:13). What does it mean to be given to hospitality?
Hospitality is defined by Merriam-Webster as "given to generous and cordial reception of guests; promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome; offering a pleasant or sustaining environment; readily receptive." The words that jump out at me are generous, cordial, pleasant, sustaining, readily receptive. In a world that is full of busy people who are rushing around, day after day, there is very little time and energy left to practice hospitality. Hospitality requires deliberate effort and spontaneity.
Why be hospitable? For me the answer is quite simple, God asks His children to be an extension of His love to the world around us. If we are not reaching, loving, inviting, valuing others, who will? Every day we bump into people along the road of life. They may be neighbors, co-workers, cashiers, workers in our home and community, folks at church or family members. Do we shrug a cold shoulder and throw indifference their way? Or, do we open our eyes to see the loneliness, sorrow, worry and fear they may be walking in? Everyone has a story. Everyone has pain. Everyone wants to feel like they matter. Everyone needs to know that if they died today, someone would notice, someone would grieve their loss. Sadly, very few people have another soul to share their story or their pain with. Most folks feel invisible and worthless. Many know that if they died, very few would miss them and most would go on living like nothing happened. Is that how Jesus wants them to feel? Of course not! Jesus came to earth and lived a life of service, hospitality and extended grace and mercy to everyone He met. We are called to love as He loves, we are His hands and feet upon the earth today. What are we doing about it?
Matthew 25: 31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
We extend hospitality to others because our Master asks us to. If we call ourselves Christians, we are saying we are "followers of the anointed One." Jesus came to seek and save, He came to heal and hold. He placed us in the communities, homes, families, and churches where He knew His presence was needed. Are we serious about being His hands and feet?
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