The Grace of Kindness

When a visitor disembarks from the airplane and enters the arrival hall of the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, the first thing that attracts his or her attention is a big portrait of a young lady smiling broadly. She is holding a pot of water and a calabash, and the word akwaaba is boldly written on the portrait. 

Akwaaba means “welcome” in the Akan language of Ghana, and this beautiful smile is a warm welcome to visitors to this country that is said to have the friendliest people in the world. A visitor to any home in Ghana is first offered water to drink, which tells that visitor he is welcome. Friendship is then built, and a trusted relationship develops, thereafter yielding lasting rewards. Kindness and friendliness have become a cultural distinctive of the Ghanaian people, and this characteristic is aptly described as “proverbial Ghanaian hospitality.” 

This cultural norm is something all Christians are commanded to do. Scripture exhorts us to show kindness to everyone who comes our way, including strangers. 

Hospitality is a great Christian virtue that must be inculcated into our daily lives as Christians. When we show kindness to people, especially strangers, we win the hearts of the people we witness to and bring them to the saving grace of God. We also receive rewards from God. 

In Genesis chapters 18 and 19 Abraham received three strangers and showed them kindness. The three visitors who received such warm hospitality from Abraham were on a mission to announce that God’s promise to give Abraham an heir would soon be fulfilled. They also warned Abraham about the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah and God’s plan to punish those two cities.

Abraham’s kindness to the visitors brought him rewards.

1. God not only confirmed His promise to give Abraham an heir, but He also told him he would have a child within a year. The promise was fulfilled when Sarah gave birth to Isaac one year later. 

2. Abraham had the rare privilege of having advance knowledge of God’s plan to pour out His wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah. Because God told him what was to happen to these two cities, Abraham was able to intercede for God’s mercy upon his nephew Lot, who was living in the region.

Whether we realize it or not, we are all deeply influenced by our culture. We may hear our neighbors, coworkers, or fellow church members say bad things about people of another background, tribe, or skin color. How deeply are we influenced by such negative ideas? 

In the Book of Ruth, Boaz went to inspect his fields during the harvest, and he noticed Ruth, a foreign woman from the land of Moab. Boaz became concerned about Ruth’s situation as a foreigner. Boaz showed respect and hospitality to this woman and eventually married her. Like Boaz, we must respect the rights and dignity of the poor and strangers. One powerful way to proclaim Christ is to take a stand against practices in our communities that disrespects and ignores strangers. We can show kindness to strangers by warmly greeting them in the spirit of akwaaba and showing them the love of God. 

Prayer Request

· Pray for the Ghanaian church to develop a vision for missions among the unreached villages of the north and beyond.