Hospitality & A Servant's Heart
"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." -Romans 12.13
It was an off-handed remark and comment made. Not intended to be flashy. Not intended to show off. A moment of honesty and utter surprise.
This morning my boss left to travel to Africa for the next several weeks. This isn't unusual, he's there about 4 times a year because in his "spare time," he is the head of the seminary named Leadstar in Addis Ababa. This time around, he and three other leaders would be traveling to 4 countries in 10 days as they are finalizing and working on ecumenical relationships. Lots of big words that really mean, spending time with other parts of the family of God. I'm a little jealous, for many reasons, but for the warm weather they will be enjoying.
As my boss flies frequently, he's on the top of the list for free upgrades. He walks up to the counter, and they know him by name. They saw that he was speaking with one of his colleagues and offered to upgrade them both to first class on this international flight. One doesn't turn down a free upgrade on an international flight--my boss was really excited.
The thing that shocked me wasn't the upgrade, the to do list we were working on, or the crazy travel plans. What shocked me was when my boss said that he tried to give his upgrade away. The presiding bishop is one of the people traveling on this flight with them, and since Ethiopia is "home" for my boss, he said that the bishop should have the good seat because he is a guest coming to "his home."
My boss wasn't trying to be showy. I doubt he will even remember these two sentences of our conversation, but it shocked me, and my heart was convicted. How do we as Americans often not give our very best to visitors and guests? How often do we think we're being nice to let people cut in front of us in a line or by offering someone a bed in our home for a night or two but tire of them easily and rejoice when they leave? (Although I do enjoy the Ethiopian proverb: "A good guest is one who knows when to leave.") How often do our token offerings seem so gigantic in our mind?
I wondered why the word "hospitality" only appears in the Bible four times. (Clearly there are many situations that demonstrate it without using the word.) I believe it isn't mentioned often because it was and is so ingrained in the culture, you wouldn't need to explain this to anyone. It's as natural as breathing. Offering the food off your table, the bed in your home, your time when you don't have any... We--as Americans-- have so much to learn about loving your neighbor. Jesus--thank you so much for "tenting" among us and making your dwelling with us. Leaving your home to be with us in the one that you created for us.
It was an off-handed remark and comment made. Not intended to be flashy. Not intended to show off. A moment of honesty and utter surprise.
This morning my boss left to travel to Africa for the next several weeks. This isn't unusual, he's there about 4 times a year because in his "spare time," he is the head of the seminary named Leadstar in Addis Ababa. This time around, he and three other leaders would be traveling to 4 countries in 10 days as they are finalizing and working on ecumenical relationships. Lots of big words that really mean, spending time with other parts of the family of God. I'm a little jealous, for many reasons, but for the warm weather they will be enjoying.
As my boss flies frequently, he's on the top of the list for free upgrades. He walks up to the counter, and they know him by name. They saw that he was speaking with one of his colleagues and offered to upgrade them both to first class on this international flight. One doesn't turn down a free upgrade on an international flight--my boss was really excited.
The thing that shocked me wasn't the upgrade, the to do list we were working on, or the crazy travel plans. What shocked me was when my boss said that he tried to give his upgrade away. The presiding bishop is one of the people traveling on this flight with them, and since Ethiopia is "home" for my boss, he said that the bishop should have the good seat because he is a guest coming to "his home."
My boss wasn't trying to be showy. I doubt he will even remember these two sentences of our conversation, but it shocked me, and my heart was convicted. How do we as Americans often not give our very best to visitors and guests? How often do we think we're being nice to let people cut in front of us in a line or by offering someone a bed in our home for a night or two but tire of them easily and rejoice when they leave? (Although I do enjoy the Ethiopian proverb: "A good guest is one who knows when to leave.") How often do our token offerings seem so gigantic in our mind?
I wondered why the word "hospitality" only appears in the Bible four times. (Clearly there are many situations that demonstrate it without using the word.) I believe it isn't mentioned often because it was and is so ingrained in the culture, you wouldn't need to explain this to anyone. It's as natural as breathing. Offering the food off your table, the bed in your home, your time when you don't have any... We--as Americans-- have so much to learn about loving your neighbor. Jesus--thank you so much for "tenting" among us and making your dwelling with us. Leaving your home to be with us in the one that you created for us.
Comments
Post a Comment