Cultivated Faithfulness
Love the Sojourner
For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribes. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:17–19
God repeats this command to Israel and reminds us throughout Scripture to love the sojourner because it is close to His heart. He emphasizes it so we won’t miss it.
We are all sojourners in our walk with, or toward, the Lord. The question is, how have we loved the sojourner? One way to love the sojourner is through hospitality. You may be thinking, “I don’t have that gift.” But Scripture doesn’t limit hospitality to curated tables or gourmet meals. Instead, we’re offered the gift of freedom and that is enough. We remember what it was like to be strangers, and outsiders. Yet God knew us, welcomed us, and brought us near. Because He welcomed us, we are called to welcome others. This can be in your home, or at a park or local coffee shop.
It is in these moments that His Word can be spoken and demonstrated. This is the true purpose of a hospitable spirit and we’re all called to it. Hospitality doesn’t need to be complicated. Just as the Lord commanded Israel, we too have a responsibility to faithfully love the stranger or sojourner, wherever they are. The location isn’t as important as the posture of our hearts.
Hospitality is about proximity to others. It includes openness and willingness to listen to another person’s story and needs. We’ve become so separated by the screens in front of our faces, longing for connection we will never find in a device. True connection is found in human presence.
And what better way to cultivate that than across a table, sharing a meal or a cup of coffee?
Here is my challenge to you: Open your door to someone this week. Invite someone to share a moment, a meal or a conversation. Hospitality is about presence, not perfection. And when we welcome others, we reflect the God who first welcomed us.
Betsie, Life in Messiah staff in Florida
