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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