Friends

"Some have welcomed angels without knowing it," Hebrews 13:2.

Yeah. OK. So what's the point? Ah! This is the point: Show hospitality to strangers. (I mean, that's what it says. That's what it says.) Love our brothers and sisters even when they're strangers to us. Why? Well, Abraham and Sarah welcomed strangers with a phenomenal banquet; turned out they were serving God and a couple of angels. And, too. Rahab welcomed a couple of strangers by hiding them from authorities bent on killing them; turned out she saved her family's lives when her whole city fell apart. But, really, why show love like this? Because, mainly, here's the point, the big idea: God's hospitality welcomed us into his kingdom. The rules are different there. Sky kingdom.

We welcome a brother or sister today with God's invitation to share in a new life. And, together, we praise God who made us, strangers all, friends in Christ.