I’ve always had a fascination with this incredible thought provoking verse:
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2 NIV
I’ve pondered about bringing strangers into my house, but I could always come up with a million reasons and excuses why I didn’t do just that.
But recently, I’ve realized that to entertain strangers doesn’t always mean you bring them into your home. The definition of entertain is “to take into consideration or to maintain a thought”. So, we can also entertain strangers by paying attention to them, keeping them in our thoughts, or caring for them.
Meet Mr. B. I met him months ago as I ran into him at church. Luckily it was a day when I was “in the moment.” I wasn’t rushing from one thing that needed to be done to the next, I was taking in every word, person, and thing happening. After one of our services, Mr. B stopped me to thank me for serving at church. It was his first time at our church and it was my honor to meet him.
As the months went by, I looked for Mr. B every Sunday. I wanted to know he was alright. I wanted to know if he needed anything. I needed to see him there. We had great conversations. I grew to treasure our short visits each Sunday.
Last Sunday, when I went to church, I found out Mr. B had moved. He is hours away from our church now. I can’t explain the sadness in my heart knowing I won’t get to see him each Sunday. Late that evening as I was thinking about Mr. B and how I would miss him, I was brought back to the verse in Hebrews.
I entertained, considered, and thought of Mr. B. He was a stranger when we first met. Now looking back, I truly believe he was an angel sent from above to open my eyes to so much.
What does this have to do with your purpose?
You need to live in the moment and slow down enough where you can open your eyes to the strangers around you. You never know, they just might be angels from above!
Live in the moment! It is something that I am not very good at, but something I am working on. Thanks for the reminder. I bet Mr. B would love a letter from you. I still love to get the old fashioned, hand written letter.
Such a fantastic verse to try and live. My grandpa died before I was born but my mom always tells stories of all the people he would meet on the street or in the service or in a bar who he'd bring home and have stay for a while or just come to meals and it always sounds like such a fantastic way to live.
Leah – yes I'm waiting on an address and hope to send him a little card. I do miss those days of snail mail and actually having something other than bills in my mail. :)
Megan, your grandpa really knew how to implement that verse. Thanks for sharing and encouraging!
Loved the story…and yes getting to know strangers is super easy!!! And we should do it more often.