Reading plan: Hospitality matters
By Alejandra Ortiz and Abdiel Espinoza
Migration is a phenomenon we are all a part of; if we are not migrants, our ancestors were. Almost all of us are also part of a region of the world that either sends or receives migrants, or that migrants pass through.
We cannot ignore the reality of those migrating, displaced and seeking refuge in our country. In the Bible we find many stories of people on the move and of cross-cultural encounters. From God’s perspective, no one group of people can claim possession of a piece of land. The land is God’s possession (Leviticus 25:23, Psalm 24:1) and both individuals and nation-states are administrators and keepers of God’s creation (Genesis 1:28). God is hospitable to us as human beings by allowing us to live on his earth and giving us what we need to survive.
When we migrate, or receive someone who migrates into our neighborhood, a cultural encounter takes place. This may take the form of culture clash, of fear, alienation or even xenophobia. If it does, hospitality is a radical response from God’s people. The Bible contains many examples of hospitality (for example, Genesis 18:1-10), invitations to hospitality (Exodus 22:21, Hebrews 13:2) and condemnation of the lack of hospitality (Obadiah 1).
Hospitality is an expression of the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39), evidence of Christian character (Titus 1:8), and a reflection of true discipleship (Matthew 25:34-35). By being hospitable we can have an encounter with the other, who is different from us, and who is also a recipient of God’s love and a divine image bearer. Hospitality is a way of being witnesses to Christ. It breaks the cycle of violence, bringing reconciliation in our local and global context, and is a wonderful way to serve in God’s mission.
Questions
- How do we respond to the reality of a hospitable God? How does that change our perspective of migrants and of ourselves?
- What obstacles hinder hospitality to strangers in our local context?
- What is the cost of being hospitable in our community?
- Why should hospitality be a characteristic of Christian discipleship?
- What expressions of hospitality to migrants can I practice personally, as part of a family or a church?
Go to Genesis 18:1-10 (p. 29) to start this reading plan.
1 Seeing and Greeting – Genesis 18:1-10
Seeing and Greeting
Abraham was in his tent sheltering at the hottest time of the day when he saw three people in front of him. Abraham took the initiative and went to meet the strangers; he greeted them and begged them to accept his hospitality. In the passage, Abraham clearly identifies himself as a servant to these people, and he is quick and diligent when offering food and drink to his guests.
Abraham saw the foreigners and acted. Hospitality starts with seeing and greeting. It is impossible to be hospitable without recognizing who is in front of us. All people have an innate dignity, without exception. That includes migrants, refugees and those displaced. When we see them and greet them, we recognize
them as fellow humans, we recognize their dignity. Hospitality is evident in concrete acts of service as we offer the best we have to the other person.
Just like Abraham, we are also visited by foreigners who find us when we have a place to shelter. Hospitality implies we make space for others and make our resources available to care for others. This is not only about food, money or help, but also our willingness to serve. This is why hosting a stranger is a deep act of love to our neighbor and to God.
Abraham thought he was hosting three travelers and he found himself in the presence of God himself. He may have offered them food and shelter, but they gave him so much more: they promised him a son.
2 Invited to Encounter the Other – Acts 8:26-40
Invited to Encounter the Other
Philip is sent into the desert by an angel of the Lord in order to encounter the Ethiopian eunuch. God promotes the encounter between locals and strangers to further his kingdom. Philip is invited to encounter the Ethiopian and to take initiative in the conversation. How many times has God invited us to seek these encounters in our neighborhoods? Sometimes it takes God himself taking the initiative to push believers out of their comfort zone, to make them open to encountering others, no matter their prejudices and the risks involved.
In this encounter, Philip opens up to share his story and the gospel. The Ethiopian is interested and respectful as he listens. When we encounter another person, either local or foreigner, we have the opportunity to share our culture and faith. We can listen and be respectful, allowing the other person to discover our faith, and fi nding out how others make the gospel their own. In this type of hospitality we recognize that the gospel is not tied to our culture, and can also bring hope and purpose to people of other cultures.