And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:5
“What we have learned about generosity through our experience with welcoming refugee families is this: generosity is at its heart a love for our neighbors, the ones next door and the ones around the world. Generosity begins with what we believe: believing in God’s abundant provision, believing in God’s call for us to care for each other and the earth, believing God is generous and that we are created in the image of God. Generosity is also about our behavior and practice: how we respond to God’s blessing, how we answer God’s call, and how we can share in generosity as God has shared with us.
Generosity is hospitality. It is welcoming the stranger with openness and deep compassion, as Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes these, welcomes me.” (Matt 18:5). In Christian theology, the steadfast link between love of God and love of neighbor appears over and over again. And so to welcome another in our midst, to extend the hand of hospitality, is not about entertaining a guest or making a friend; first and foremost it is an act of faith. And the practice of welcoming is a means by which we can be continually transformed into the people God created and calls us to be.”
Stacy Emerson in “There is something about generosity that compels us to respond to the needs of our neighbors” in Giving: Growing Joyful Stewardship in Your Congregation, volume 20 (Richmond: EMS, 2018) 32-33.
I returned safely home from Australia to enjoy a gorgeous evening with my wife (pictured above). International travel teaches you things. One of them is the value of “welcome” extended through Christian hospitality. It commonly takes the form of a cool drink, a hot meal, and/or a warm bed.
It becomes personal with a helping hand, a listening ear, and/or a receptive heart. Sometimes the aid spans a night. Other times it lasts for days when helping someone needs refuge from circumstances that have left them displaced. They are lost and with you they find a sense of home.
Most of the time “welcome” comes into view as humbly setting aside personal plans to aid others in faith knowing God will supply whatever is needed. I see this vividly in the generous hospitality of my wife, Jenni! It’s why I think there’s no place of “welcome” on the planet like our town home!
What about you? If you want your behavior and practice to reflect your Christian faith, ask God to show you what it might look like to “welcome” those around you. Prepare for inconvenience, get ready for sacrifice, and you may just discover your place in this world is helping others find theirs.