Be My Guest

There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days.

– Acts 28:7

It’s for good reason that we teach our children to beware of strangers. But as Christ-followers, we should also be mindful of the roles hospitality and practical compassion play in our lives. It’s in the New Testament book of Hebrews that we’re told not to forego showing hospitality to strangers, because some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 

And then there’s the story of The Good Samaritan — one of the most familiar stories of Scripture. It’s in Luke’s gospel that we read about a traveler who was attacked by robbers and left for dead. A priest saw the wounded man, but elected to pass him by. Later, a Levite (a member of one of the tribes of Israel) also saw the man lying on the ground, and he too avoided him. But when a Samaritan — a member of a despised ethnic group — happened to come by, he bandaged up the injured stranger, checked him into a motel and even prepaid the bill!

Two supposedly "good" people had a chance to help the helpless, but they went out of their way to do nothing. Instead, it was the Samaritan who found God's approval because he had shown practical compassion to his neighbor (a total stranger).

Although that's a lesson we all need to learn and live by, helping neighbors and strangers isn't always easy. We too often let selfishness and pride get in our way. We don't want to get our hands dirty, and end up like the supposedly good people in Jesus' story. But let's consider the other side of the coin: How are we showing compassion to fellow Christ-followers — not strangers — but rather other Believers?

The moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become a member of an enormous family of faith spanning race, nationality, gender and generation. We may be very different, but it's our faith in Jesus that bridges the gaps. For all of us, Jesus is at the core of our thoughts and motivations. What’s more, we all share a common, eternal destiny and a loving Father.

This is just one of the truths that separates Christ-followers from everyone else in the world. And since the world is watching and questioning our motives, it’s more important than ever for us to demonstrate love, compassion and hospitality to both believers and strangers alike.