Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)
In July of 2019, I served on a mission trip to a small neighborhood in Cuba called Ceiba Mocha. I was 17 at the time, and this was my first time serving abroad. With me was a group of about 20 other high schoolers and a few parents. Upon landing in the area, our plans changed abruptly when we got news of a young girl in the church who had been murdered. We were stepping off the plane into a funeral procession.
A few days later, our team split up and visited the homes of members in the local church. One of these homes belonged to this young girl’s family. My team was assigned to them. My friend Katelyn, who was also on my small team, had lost her mom to cancer a few years prior to this trip. As we joined this family in their living room and began talking and praying, it became clear that this was a divine appointment. I can’t tell you for sure if any angels were there, but I can say that the presence in that room was something I’d never experienced before. The way Katelyn and this family were able to understand each other without words was nothing short of holy.
When I think of the story of Abraham inviting strangers into his home, I remember this moment. When all of us had the intention of serving the other, we found ourselves in this thin space.
The pain of Abraham’s past, his familiarity with being a stranger in a foreign land, informed the way that he cared for strangers. He knew what it was like to be in their shoes. The empathy gained from his experience directed his hospitality. It was only from that place that he was able to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah.
In both Abraham and my friend Katelyn, past wounds were the map that led to connection with strangers. There’s a blessing in those raw moments. Regardless of angels, I believe that’s a worthy pursuit.
Kassie Lowe
Young Adults Lead