Entertaining Strangers by Rose McCormick Brandon

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13

One Saturday morning we lingered in bed thankful for a slow day. Melody, about eight at the time, ran downstairs and quickly returned to our room upstairs. “There’s a man sleeping on the couch,” she said. “Of course there is,” we said sarcastically believing she was trying to get us moving. She had a reputation as a prankster so this didn’t help her cause. 

“There is someone down there,” she kept saying.

"Sure. Sure."

We took our time getting up and finally the five of us trooped downstairs. And there on our living room sofa lay a complete stranger, sound asleep. We stood over him staring at him like the three bears of Goldilocks fame. 

He awoke with a start, disoriented.

He’d been drunk the night before and was headed for a relative’s house on our street. As he stumbled along he found our front door unlocked, came in, found a comfortable couch and collapsed. 

Doug offered him breakfast. He joined us in the kitchen for a few minutes, still groggy and perhaps suspicious that we might call the Police. He was harmless. And even if he wasn’t he was no match for Doug who suggested we pray for him, which we did. 

Soon he was out the door and on his way. 

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2). I don’t believe our stranger was an angel (read about Abraham’s angelic visitors in Genesis 18), but I do believe his landing on our sofa was not by accident. It was an opportunity to pray for and to show kindness to a stranger.  

Prayer: Lord, as I go about my usual business today, make me aware of the needs of strangers and give me an opportunity to exercise hospitality.

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Rose McCormick Brandon is the author of Promises of Home - Stories of Canada's British Home Children, One Good Word Makes all the Difference, numerous magazine articles and personal stories for compilations like Chicken Soup for the Soul. Rose writes two blogs, Promises of Home and Listening to my Hair Grow. Contact her at: rosembrandon@yahoo.ca 

Stress, Impress or Bless - by Heidi McLaughlin

I felt offended.  My spiritual gift evaluation showed that my strengths emerged in the area of hospitality. “How shallow and frivolous is that?” I thought.  “I want my top spiritual gifts to be something more meaningful and powerful; like wisdom, evangelism, prayer warrior or teaching.” And yet I read Mother Teresa’s simple words, “Spread love wherever you go: First of all in your own house…let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile”. Those practical words changed my attitude and perception about this seemingly useless gift.

I also had to change my motive and learn the difference between entertaining and hospitality.  When our motives for entertaining guests are focused on impressing, it becomes stressful and exhausting to share our food, our guest rooms, our resources and our valuable time.  To unleash the true beauty of a hospitable heart, I needed to check my motive for inviting people in my home. I had to be clear about the difference between impressing and blessing.  Impressing is entertaining, and blessing is hospitality.

Entertainment:

Ø  Looks for payment; the words, “My, isn’t she a remarkable hostess…”

Ø  Says, “I want to impress you with my home, my clever decorating, and my gourmet cooking.”

Ø  Flaunts what we have and wants to impress people. It is about working hard to make everything look perfect and wearing ourselves out to astonish people with our creativity and skills.

Ø  It is the cover of a slick woman’s magazine with the alluring pictures of good food and stunningly decorated rooms.

Hospitality:

Ø  Is a beautiful and creative gift from God; one that we can enjoy and explore for the rest of our lives; and it never goes out of style.

Ø  Gives pleasure in giving, doing, loving and serving.

Ø  Seeks to minister and says, “This home is a gift and a haven from my Master; I use it as He desires.”

Ø  Is about making the time to share our home, serve people with love, and intentionally bless those that walk through our doors.

Ø  Is about the intimate connection between food and fellowship. “Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to say for the night” (1Peter 4:9 NIV).

What is it about eating food together that creates such a sociable atmosphere? We all long to be part of some community; and we find some of this in our favorite coffee shop where we stop to chat with a friend. We also love to gather on a hot evening at the ice cream shop or sit on the patio of an outdoor restaurant swapping stories. I feel that eating together is a spiritual experience; a building of community through sharing our hearts.

In our present complicated, “hurry up life”; taking the time to invite people into our homes to share our food is probably one of the greatest acts of kindness we can extend to each other. It’s an opportunity to exhibit and share the most intimate parts or our lives.  When we have people into our homes it says, “Come and see where we live, and share what we have.” 

The Christmas season is the perfect time to use our gift of hospitality to share our homes with pure and joyful motives. I learned this principle from Jesus.  In His final hours on earth, with the shadow of the cross hanging over Him, Jesus spent His last evening sharing dinner with His disciples. He chose to share life-changing information with them that night around a table. It was a place of intimacy created by mouths enjoying the same food, bodies reclining around the table and eyes meeting across the plates. Here they enjoyed intimate community. 

Our homes and our tables should be a place to share what is meaningful with each other. After all, this was the place Jesus commanded us to remember Him by the breaking of bread and drinking of wine. Our homes are the greatest place to share food, blessings, and the “good news of Christ”; hand-in-hand.

Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia. She is married to Pastor Jack and they have a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 9 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her husband and special friends. You can reach her at: www.heartconnection.ca

A Kindness Done, but not Forgotten (Peter Black)

Oops! I missed posting on my appointed date last week, so I'm squeezing in the following piece (a true story) for the August holiday weekend. It's adapted from my column of a couple of weeks ago, and will likely be included in my next book-- a collection of those articles.

It was quite late that night when Norman was called to the police station. Someone had suggested to the attending officer that he call a Mr. Clarke—my brother-in-law Norman.

He was ushered into a room where, huddled in a corner, cold and shivering from a soaking in the rain, was a young black man. His dark eyes couldn’t conceal his fear and uncertainty. He was alone, a stranger in a foreign country and an unfamiliar culture.

This occurred many years ago in Oxford, England. Norman wasn’t a social worker, but a chef in a university college . . . and a caring man. The young fellow had arrived from Africa, to study at the university, but knew no-one. Although his fare and tuition were sponsored, no other resources were provided; no food nor money, and nowhere to stay.

The officer released Daniel into Norman’s care, who took him to his home. After a warm meal and a bath, the youngster stepped into some dry clothes and slept in a warm bed. Thus began a new relationship, an extended stay and a new beginning. He soon began referring to Norman and my sister Chris as "Uncle" and "Aunty." 

Their church congregation welcomed him warmly – it was a virtual United Nations (like the couple’s home!), with attendees representing various ethnicities and many countries of the world.

Some years after Daniel’s studies were completed and he was back in Africa, I was in the UK for my mother’s funeral /memorial. One night during my stay he telephoned from Africa to thank Chris and Norman for what they’d done and the love they’d shown. He was now in business and employing people. That was over nine years ago. It was welcome news, and decent of him to call.

Several years ago Norman and Chris returned to Scotland to live, and recently received another call from Daniel. He’s now married and is currently visiting the UK with his wife and three children, introducing them (uhh, "showing them off") to some of the friends he made there – especially to “Uncle and Aunty.” Currently, he’s  a banker in Nairobi, Kenya, and gives thanks to God for all that they did for him when he had nothing and didn’t know what to do.

And so, a week or so ago Daniel and family should have left Chris and Norman’s place to head back to England, before flying home to Nairobi.

I’m reminded of friends who welcomed us like family when we first came to Canada. Some became like grandmas and grandpas to our kids. They included us in their circle of love and made an investment in our lives. Whatever good may have been done in the places where we lived and served as pastors was in part due to their kindness.

And yet, kindness has continued to follow us, for during our time in Guide Country [an epithet for the readership of the newspaper], others of you also extended friendship and invested kindness in our lives, and therefore assisted us in fulfilling our calling.

We may never know this side of heaven how far a kind word spoken, a warm welcome given or a kindness done in Jesus’ name with love in our hearts, can go, when God blesses it. He will reward.

Jesus said, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Also, “. . . your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 25:40; 6:3-4).

Thank you! Many of you have been kind to us.

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Adapted from original article published in P-Pep! column in The Guide-Advocate – July 25, 2013. His articles have appeared in 50 Plus Contact and testimony, and several newspapers in Ontario.

Peter A. Black is a freelance writer in Southwestern Ontario, and is author of “Parables from the Pond” – a children's / family book (mildly educational, inspirational in orientation, character reinforcing).

(Finalist -- Word Alive Press ISBN 1897373-21-X )

 

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