Be not forgetful

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


Have you ever forgotten something? Of course you have. You might have forgotten something just this morning or perhaps yesterday. We forget and some of us seem more forgetful than others. When we forget something we are usually at least a tiny bit upset with ourselves for forgetting whatever it was we forgot- at least if it were something important. We generally don't get upset if we forget a bit of history we may have learned in grade school, but we would get very upset if we forget a friend's birthday. We forget, it's part of our nature. No one, perhaps I should rephrase that for the very few, most people forget, there are a tiny fraction of people who have perfect memory- so tiny it's likely most of us don't even know one of those few.


We forget. We are forgetful. Do we forget on purpose? Is it even possible to forget something on purpose? I don't know that it is. It is however, possible for us to NOT take steps that would keep us from forgetting something. We mostly have it in our power to take step to keep from forgetting. We can write ourselves notes, we can recite something over and over, we could put an object in our midst that would jog our memory. We have ways to help us remember. No, maybe we don't have ways to help us remember every single fact we learn but we have ways to keep us from forgetting important things, right?


If someone tells you not to forget something it's a good guess it's something important- at least to that person.


Forget--
G1950
epilanthanomai
ep-ee-lan-than'-om-ahee
Middle voice from G1909 and G2990; to lose out of mind; by implication to neglect: - (be) forget (-ful of).


Lose out of mind- by implication to neglect.


Have you ever had someone in your life feel as if they were being neglected when you've forgotten something they've wanted you to remember? They feel the neglect and are HURT, their feelings are hurt. They judge your forgetfulness to mean you don't care enough to remember. Their feelings are being neglected, their wish for you to remember something is being slighted. You might not feel that way about it though. You might feel as if you have NO control over the things you forget or remember. You don't realize that you might need to create some system that allows you to remember things that people tell you, especially your loved ones who are most likely to feel hurt, to feel purposely neglected by your poor memory. Because you didn't purposely forget you want to be forgiven, but that doesn't do away with the hurt the forgetting causes. You can be forgiven but at the same time the neglect whether blatant or not, is still real.


When God tells us in His word not to forget how should He feel when we do forget? Should we expect automatic forgiveness? Or should we expect punishment for allowing ourselves to forget, for neglecting to do whatever it is God told us not to forget.


If we are told NOT to forget by God we better make sure we remember! No, I'm not saying God wouldn't forgive us if we truly repent , but we are accountable for our neglecting to remember.


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


Be not forgetful- to entertain strangers.


Entertain strangers-
G5381
philonexia
fil-on-ex-ee'-ah
From G5382; hospitableness: - entertain strangers, hospitality.


Hospitality (Webster)
HOSPITAL'ITY, n. [L. hospitalitas.] The act or practice of receiving and entertaining strangers or guests without reward, or with kind and generous liberality.


We cannot forget to be kind to those we don't know.


How easy it is to be indifferent to those we don't know. How easy it is to go about in our own little worlds keeping the unknown at bay. I know it's very easy for me to do so. I don't live in a small town where everyone knows everyone, I wasn't raised in a small town like that either. Keeping to myself is much more my style, in fact it's very hard for me to talk to strangers. I like to think that if someone came to me in need I wouldn't turn them away and in that way I'd be able to entertain strangers, but to go out and actively seek strangers to entertain isn't something I feel very comfortable doing. Not everyone is outgoing and being shy doesn't mean a person is ungodly. We all have our roles, we all have our places in life and as long as we put ourselves at God's disposal He will use us as He needs to.


We can't forget what God tells us not to forget. We can't forget what God tells us to remember and we need to do all we can to remember the words of the Lord to us. If it means writing ourselves notes, or going to great lengths to remember we need to do this, we really do.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, in His love, by His righteousness now and forever!


Amen.