Strangers

Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.


Do we forget to entertain strangers? How many of us would even consider such a thing, seriously? Strangers? We are taught to be wary of strangers. We are taught to think the worst of them. Be on our guard where strangers are concerned.


Isn't is true that we are all strangers to each other? I read in a place of business once a sign that said, 'There are no strangers here just friends who haven't met.' I really liked that saying. It holds the spirit of what God means when we are told not to be forgetful to entertain strangers. No one is a stranger really, we are all just human beings in this huge world of ours and we all share a common bond by having life alone. When we meet a fellow human being we aren't familar with, yes, they are a stranger to us and if we treat them with respect and the love of Jesus Christ we are doing all we can do. Not every stranger will end up a friend regardless of what that saying I like says. Opening our hearts with kindness to those we don't know is all Jesus asks of us. The fact that we might be entertaining angels unaware is just another blessing given us.


Instead of turning a wary eye upon the strangers we meet in our life we need to turn a loving heart upon them, the love of Christ who asks us to trust in Him for all things and that includes being safe when a stranger does enter our lives. No, it doesn't mean all strangers are good and it doesn't mean that we won't be hurt by a stranger, but it means we trust in God that all things will work together for good for us because we love Him. We don't have to understand, we just have to embrace the love of Christ and love God first and our fellow man second. The commandment isn't to love God and love our family and friends, the commandment is to love God and love our fellow man, our neighbors and our neighbors are any and all we meet in our lives.


May God bless us with His pure love for human kind, may we embrace any and all opportunities to entertain strangers in our lives and by that may we offer them any comfort we can, even if it's a kind word or a simple smile. By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, now and forever. In Christ's love.


Amen.