Love UndocumentedSample

The word hospitality in the Bible comes from the Greek word philozenia, which is defined by Strong’s Concordance as “love to strangers.” What does it mean to show love to strangers? What does hospitality look like? 

Jesus is often described as a migrant or stranger. He was born in a city far from his parents’ home. Then, while he was still very young, his family fled to Egypt to escape persecution from King Herod. And by the time he began his ministry, Jesus traveled from place to place, often relying on the warm and open welcome of the people he encountered. What if when we engage strangers we saw Jesus in their eyes and felt him in their touch? How quick would we be to show love and offer hospitality to the stranger?

The good Samaritan (Luke 10) is an all-time favorite biblical illustration of caring for the stranger. In this story, a Jewish man is beaten and bloodied by the road. Two other Jewish men walk by. And then we see the Samaritan—a member of a people group despised by the Jews—who serves as the example of how to care for our neighbor. He offers personal attention, medical provision, transportation, shelter, and financial support. The injured Jew is a stranger to him, but he responds with bighearted hospitality.

What is stopping us from opening up our homes, our lives, our hearts to the strangers in our midst? Are we waiting for perfect presentation? Too busy to work hospitality into our lives? Or are we afraid of saying the wrong things, doing the wrong things, cooking the wrong things? Too disconnected from those who are different from us to know where to start?

The point of bighearted hospitality is not the act itself. It may be an invitation to tea, a potluck, backyard s’mores, or a multicourse meal with flair rivaling Martha Stewart’s. Or it may look like bandages and gauze on the side of the road, a ride to the nearest clinic, and a room in which to recover. But the point of bighearted hospitality is to demonstrate our love for God by showing love to strangers. The specific action stems from the needs at our doorstep and a willingness to open our hands and offer everything to the version of God right in front of us. The stranger in our midst.