hospitality to strangers
In 2011, marine biologists around the globe were fixated on a pod of sperm whales in the North Atlantic Ocean; they had adopted a bottlenose dolphin calf. Jens Krause, a German behavioral ecologist, told one news source that sperm whales have “never been known to mingle this closely with another species.” Apparently the young dolphin had a spinal defect and couldn’t swim fast enough to keep up with other dolphins. But surprisingly, the sperm whales gathered the struggling dolphin into their fold.
use my room
When I agreed to help start a book club at my church, I was excited about choosing the titles and discussing the literary works. I wavered, however, when I had to decide where to hold the meetings. (My house often has cluttered countertops and my kitchen appliances don’t always sparkle.) Thankfully, one Sunday morning, a woman in my church offered to host the meetings at her home. I sensed a genuine spirit of hospitality, and I gratefully accepted her proposal.
Christmas kindness
My son spent his first decade of life in a warm East Africa climate. For his 10th birthday, I used frequent flier miles and took him to the western part of the US to experience snow.
strangers and foreigners
Last summer, my son and I were heading to a connecting flight at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. As we walked briskly from one terminal to another, my son said, “Look, Mommy, a Dinka!”
outsiders
Most Christians who read the Old Testament identify with the Israelites. This is appropriate, for the Jews are our spiritual ancestors. They were the people of God in the Old Testament, and the church defines the people of God in the New Testament. We belong to the same family and share the same story.
And yet, if you’re a Gentile…
gifts from a stranger
Though vigilance is often advisable when interacting with strangers, Scripture states that there are times when we should offer them help (Job 31:31-32; Romans 12:13). As someone who recently benefitted from the generosity of a couple I’d never met before, I can attest that such kindness met a deep need in my life. It also ramped up my faith and…
