Hospitality

Copyright 2012: singeronthesand

Dear Friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian

brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers,

you make faith visible.  In providing meals and a bed,

we become their companions in spreading the Truth.

Earlier I wrote something along this line to the church, 

but Diotrephes, who loves to be in charge, 

denigrates my counsel.  As if that weren't bad enough, 

he not only refuses hospitality to traveling Christians, 

but tries to stop others from welcoming them.  

Worse yet, instead of inviting them in, he throws them out.

Friend, don't go along with evil.  Model the good.

The person who does good does God's work.

3 John 5,8-9, 10b-11a [The Message]

It has been several years since I was a pastor's wife, serving for eight years in three different churches, but the memories are fresh enough for me to laugh out loud at John's descriptions in his third letter to his congregation.  How spot on his observations were, particularly in a smaller congregation.

In every grouping of people, there is always someone who instinctively senses a vacuum in central leadership and steps up to fill the space.  Sometimes that is a very good thing; often, it is not.  When a Little Lord Fauntleroy-type grabs the reins of power, they change the church into the image and likeness of themselves and surround themselves with like-minded individuals.

One such church I will never forget!  The ruling patriarch was the head elder, the wife was the head deaconness, the son's wife was the principal of the attached elementary school, the daughter ran the daycare in the basement, and her husband was the head of audio-visual.  Their friends and cronies were in most of the other positions of authority, and the church ran according to the whims of this tight-knit family clique.  Was it a friendly church?  Hmm...that's not really what I would call it.  Selective friendliness, perhaps.  Any visitor was assessed from the minute they walked in the door as to their suitability to join the ruling junta or be left on the sidelines as an outsider.  Welcoming strangers for the simple reason of Christian love would never have entered their minds.  When the pastor who arrived after our two years of ministry took steps to break up the leadership's power, the entire group - approximately thirty-five family and friends - left the church, forming their own non-denominational church.  The congregation they left has blossomed and grown.  The church they founded is exclusive and stagnant.  

John reminded his people that kindness is right, and exclusivity is simply wrong.  We must welcome people with open hearts, open arms, and a lack of political agenda.  Only then can we truly represent the Savior that we serve.