April 27

Love Of Hospitality

Continue in brotherly love. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. — Heb 13:1-2 BSB

Our text takes us to the moment when Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent, perhaps drowsy in the heat of the day. Suddenly, he noticed three men standing nearby, seemingly in need of help. Many travelers had likely come to his door seeking assistance, and he had often given freely. Though the heat was intense and he may have been disappointed in the past by those who received his hospitality, he knew it was better to be disappointed than to miss the opportunity to show kindness. So, he sprang to his feet, called Sarah to help, and together they served the three men. How grateful he must have been that he welcomed them, for two were angels, and the third was the Son of God!

In our busy lives, it is not always easy to offer hospitality to strangers. But there is also a hospitality of the heart, where we open ourselves to hear someone’s story of sorrow. Many of us don’t realize how much it helps others simply to have someone listen to their burdens. It means so much to have a hospitable heart, a listening ear, and room in our minds to hear the stories of pain, sorrow, and loneliness that people long to share. Even if we cannot say much, our hearts can be like inns—places of shelter and warmth for weary souls.

In welcoming and caring for others, we may find that we are serving our Lord Himself, who said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

Prayer

Help me, Blessed Lord, to bear the burdens of the weak, to support those struggling in life’s battles, and to help lift others’ loads. Amen.