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Jesus’ Rules of Hospitality

“Whenever you enter a town
and its people welcome you,
eat what is set before you.”

There’s a true story of a seminary professor who asked a class to imagine the most challenging part of accompanying the 70 on their mission journey.

Most of the responses were predictable: no money, no change of clothes, no food, depending on strangers.

One student said, “Eat what is set before you.”

The student explained that his father was a pastor in a very rural, poor part of South Dakota and often invited to dinner mostly by farmers.

On remote farms people often relied on whatever they could kill or catch, such as squirrels, rabbits, and other wild creatures, even for guests so the father instructed the family to eat what was set before them.

He added, “We just never knew what we would have to eat.”

If you search Luke, you’ll find that Jesus often attends a meal, but never gives a dinner party.

In Jesus’ rules of hospitality, being a respectful recipient by graciously eating what is set before you is of primary importance.

Jesus’ rules of hospitality are far from the traditions I know.

For example, if I Invite you to dinner, I’ll notice if you don’t return an invitation to dine at your place.

Other hospitality customs in our society are dining with people of the same class, or those with abundant resources are more are hospitable to those with less, or warmly welcoming new comers to worship.

It seems to me that reflecting on hospitality as we walk with Jesus, means examining those things that keep us safe and comfortable and moving beyond them.

As Christian disciples there’s an urgency to bring God’s kingdom near.


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