Hospitality: Welcoming the Strangers Among Us

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
- Romans 15:7 (NRSV)

"What do we want the church to do? We ask for its presence with us, beside us, as Christ among us. We ask the church to sacrifice with the people for social change, for justice and for love of brother and sister. We don't ask for words. We ask for deeds. We don't ask for paternalism. We ask for servanthood."
- César Chávez

Exploring the Topic

Since September 11, 2001, we have become more aware of the gap that exists between our fears of being hospitable to strangers and our ideals as a country. Our ideals are exemplified by the Statue of Liberty that welcomed immigrants with the poem by Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus:" "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…" But our fear has caused us to give in to a selfish spirit of self-protection and self-preservation. Xenophobia, the fear of strangers, has increased in our country. Armed vigilantes have begun to patrol our borders compelled by a fear that government authorities will not do their jobs properly. The news media fuels xenophobic fears by bringing the "immigration problem" to our attention daily. Some code words and phrases we hear regularly about strangers are invasion, terrorists, illegal aliens, they don't want to be American, they'll change our way of life, etc.

John Koenig in New Testament Hospitality tells us that "rather than burdening or threatening us, the stranger comes to teach the deeper lessons of life and to enable ministry." However, some of the most selfish behavior in our churches goes by the name of hospitality. We act as though hospitality were another word for "taking care of our own," or an exercise in giving with the expectation of receiving in return. (If I invite you over to my house, you are obligated to invite me back to yours.) While we may not verbalize this definition of hospitality, our behavior does! It is something that is culturally understood and there is no need to explain our expectation. If for any reason your giving is not returned, it may be a signal that the other person does not want your friendship or hospitality.

Hospitality is more than fulfilling an obligation. We cannot limit our understanding of hospitality as though it were a legal obligation that must be fulfilled, an employment requirement to help keep us accountable or even our own self-imposed spiritual obligation to be "inclusive." Hospitality has everything to do with treating and welcoming people the way that Jesus did. Like Jesus, we must love people, have compassion and freely give of ourselves for people without expecting anything in return. Treating people like Jesus did means offering hospitality even to those who do not deserve it, who seem to refuse it, who turn on you, and whom others would consider your enemies.

Exploring the Biblical Text

To understand the biblical concept of hospitality, we need to explore the words "foreigner" (or stranger) and "sojourner." Some versions of the Bible use the word "alien." In Matthew 25:35 the Bible uses the Greek word xenos (from which we derive the word "xenophobia") to refer to foreigners and strangers. It is also a word used for those who receive and entertain another hospitably and with whom one stays or lodges; in other words, a host. I will use the word "stranger" in this writing to refer to people who are immigrants to this country, who live here either permanently or temporarily and who are citizens of other countries.

Theologian Dianne Bergant explains that the biblical authors used two Hebrew words to distinguish those who belong to other nations. Sometimes these two words are used interchangeably in the biblical text. One of them is nokrî and usually refers to transient foreigners (or strangers). In our context today we may compare them to the non-immigrants who come as tourists, students, temporary workers, undocumented workers, visitors for business and others. They are here temporarily. The other word is ger which refers to sojourners or resident aliens. In our context today we might make the comparison to immigrants who have legal status, such as Legal Permanent Resident Aliens and refugees.

We also need to define the word "hospitality." The Greek word for hospitality is philoxenos which means "lovers of strangers." It has the same root as the word Philadelphia which means "brotherly love."

Christine Pohl writes that the "Old Testament stories are foundational to the tradition of hospitality." She notes that Old Testament laws addressed the entire community and established structural supports to protect aliens from poverty and abuse. For example, judges were to deal impartially between the alien and the Israelite (Deuteronomy 1:16-17; 24:17).

The Israelites were to see themselves as strangers and not forget how it felt to be a stranger. John Koenig writes that "...during their wilderness years, the Hebrew people came to know this pilgrim existence (Deuteronomy 26:5-11) for themselves and grew unusually sensitive to the needs of aliens and strangers who later resided within their borders. Because God was Israel's host (Psalms 39:12; Leviticus 25:23) they knew that they must play host to others who were without a home of their own." According to Koenig, "In the New Testament cultural tradition there was a sacred bond between host and guests, and hospitality was seen as one of the pillars of morality."

Hospitality, Being Open to an Encounter with God

Biblical hospitality involves an encounter with God, a response to God's call and accountability. First, we experience an encounter with God and an opportunity to intercede on behalf of others.

In Genesis 18:1-15 we read that Abraham had an encounter with the Lord. In this encounter Abraham received a confirmation of God's promise to him and a warning of impending destruction. In verse 1 we find that the Lord appeared to Abraham while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. The story describes the hospitality that Abraham gave to the three men. He invited the strangers in, gave them water, washed their feet and fed them, as was the custom of that time.

In verse 10 the Lord confirms the covenant that God had already made to Abraham: that he would soon have the promised son. What great news! The fulfillment of a great promise! The covenant is first mentioned in chapter 15, when God promises Abraham that he will have a son and be the father of many nations. In chapter 17, God again promises to make Abraham fruitful, and declares that nations and kings would come from him.

Following the visit, two of the men continued their journey to Sodom while Abraham "stood before the Lord" (Genesis 18:22), conversing and interceding for the city. The implication is that the Lord warned Abraham of God's intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. As a result, Abraham was able to intercede on behalf of the city.

God seems to seek intercessors when there are situations of sin and injustice. It is interesting to note that in Ezekiel 22, God enumerates the many sins that Israel has committed against him and each other. Among the sins mentioned in that passage, verses 7 and 29 refer to the way Jerusalem "oppressed and mistreated the alien, denying them justice." The passage goes on to tell us that the Lord looked for a man to stand in the gap and intercede for the land but found no one to do so. The Lord did not want to destroy the land. God wants us to intercede and stand in the gap when the strangers who live in our communities are denied their humanness, are mistreated and denied justice.

A story in Luke helps us see another example of hospitality in an encounter with Jesus. In Luke 24:13-31, following his resurrection, Jesus appeared as a stranger to two of his disciples. The disciples did not recognize Jesus and asked if he was a stranger, because he did not seem to know what had happened the previous days in Jerusalem. They were traveling to a village called Emmaus, and after telling and listening to stories, they came to their final destination. The disciples invited and insisted that this stranger spend the night with them. It was not until they broke bread that their eyes were opened and they finally were able to recognize Jesus. Is it possible that when we welcome a stranger our eyes will be opened and we may be able to recognize Jesus in the stranger?

The Bible also admonishes us to not forget to welcome strangers, for by doing so people have entertained angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2). This text, apparently based on the Abraham story, underscores God's desire for us to care, to love and to show hospitality to strangers. God may be sending us a messenger. Here are some questions that we should ask ourselves as we provide hospitality for strangers. What is the message that they bring? Is it a confirmation of a promise? Is it to bless us? Is it to challenge our perceptions? Or is it a call for us to intercede about a certain situation?

Second, like Abraham, whom God called to leave his country to fulfill God's purpose for his life, we also have our own call from God. God calls us to go and make disciples of every nation (Matthew 28:19). Some of us may not be able to physically go to the nations. However, we are living in an environment in which the nations are coming to us; they are living in our own towns and cities. God is bringing the nations to our communities to live in our neighborhoods. Because they are coming to live in our communities, we have the opportunity to welcome them, minister to them and share the love of Jesus with them.

God's plan for humanity is that all peoples be fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household (Ephesians 2:19). How can they become part of God's household if we do not welcome them and invite them to join us? Are we ready to respond to God's call by showing hospitality to strangers or foreigners?

Third, biblical hospitality has an accountability component. The Scripture is clear about being accountable to God for our treatment of the stranger. God tells us not to mistreat the strangers who are living in our land (Leviticus 19:33-34). In Deuteronomy we read that God defends the cause of the fatherless and the widows and loves the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:18).

In Matthew 25, Jesus describes a Judgment Day scene. Jesus identifies himself with the stranger when he says, "I was a stranger and you invited me in" (Matthew 25:35). Jesus tells us that the King will view our relationship to him through the lens of "whatever we did for the 'least of these' we did to God" (Matthew 25:35- 40). On Judgment Day, God will ask us how we treated and welcomed the stranger, providing ultimate accountability for each one of us.

Some cultures have embraced the idea of welcoming Jesus as a stranger. For example, the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas ritualizes welcoming Jesus the Stranger. In a traditional song for Las Posadas are the words: En nombre del cielo/ Buenos moradores/ dad a unos viajeros/ posada esta noche. In the name of God, we ask those who dwell here, give to some travelers lodging this evening.

As we reflect on biblical hospitality, we note that our response to strangers demonstrates our love for them and is a sign of our faithfulness to God. John Koenig offers worthy ideas to consider. At a practical level, Koenig suggests that "we need to grow in our ability simply to identify potential and actual practices of New Testament hospitality" so that we can practice hospitality in our lives and our churches. He recommends that "churches must try to provide as much hospitable space for their members as they do for strangers." He further advocates, "New Testament hospitality must always concern itself with the nuts and bolts of justice." Being hospitable means that we should not be quiet when we have the opportunity to speak up against unjust laws and when strangers are mistreated.

Whenever we consider the migration of any people for any reason, the Bible reminds us that the land we inhabit ultimately belongs to God. God's generous care is constant and universal for all humanity. We are called to extend genuine hospitality toward those who, like us, are strangers and pilgrims on this earth.

You may be wondering: What can I do? How can I welcome or be hospitable to the strangers in my community and church? We need to build bridges to welcome the strangers in our churches, communities and country. Let me make a few suggestions:

Be a bridge builder in your home

Interact with immigrants and invite them to your home. Your family and neighbors will see your interaction with strangers as a model and may feel more comfortable around strangers as a result.

Be a bridge builder in your church

Get to know the immigrants in your community. Attend a church service where members are newer immigrants, and also invite them to your church. Volunteer at a local organization that serves the strangers or immigrants in your town or city. Listen to and empathize with their stories.

Be a bridge builder in your community

Educate yourself about the laws and issues that negatively impact the stranger in our country. There is a lot of misinformation in the news media. Become aware and search for answers rather than assuming that what you hear in the media is correct.

Be a bridge builder in your country

Advocate on behalf of the stranger by writing or calling your political representatives to voice your opinion. There are many laws that affect immigrants negatively and should be changed.

Prayer

Lord, give us the eyes of Jesus to see our neighbors and the strangers we meet. Teach us what it means to love the stranger as we love ourselves. Forgive us for our selfishness, for our silence, for not caring enough for the strangers who come to our communities. Teach us to love and care for the stranger the way you do. Amen!

Real Life Application

Hospitality "knows no strangers"

When we lived in the Los Angeles area, my youngest son, Josh, was about 4 years old. I was concerned about his friendliness since he talked to strangers whenever he had the opportunity. He would talk to anybody and everybody willing to talk with him. He would even ask them their age! I decided to talk with him about strangers without scaring him or making him fearful of people. I just wanted him to be a little more cautious.

At that moment a man who worked at a car dealership down the street from our house was walking to work. I knew he lived somewhere in our neighborhood, but he didn't seem very friendly. I explained to Josh that he was a stranger because we did not really know him, we had never spoken to him and we did not know who he was.

As I finished explaining to Josh my definition of stranger, he responded, "Mom, he is not a stranger; he is Bob." Needless to say my lesson about strangers ended and I did not know what else to say or do. I was concerned for Josh's safety, as we were living in a large city. However, his friendliness was inspiring; could we become more like Josh and "know no strangers?"

True hospitality is given regardless of past experiences

In 2002, I participated in a delegation to Mexico City and to the State of Puebla in Mexico with the U.S. National Religious Leaders. The delegation was composed of leaders of various denominations such as Methodists, Lutherans and others who are doing immigration work.

We visited a small town called Coyula. Coyula is what some people call a "sending community," a community from which people have been coming to the United States since World War II. Men from this community came as farm workers with the Bracero program, so this community has a long history of people leaving for the United States to work.

There we met a family with members living in the United States. We visited Don Benito, a man in his 60s, who told us a little about his own story of going back and forth to the United States over the last 10 years. He had had both good and bad experiences along the way.

This family was very hospitable. It was a warm day and they offered us something to drink. Most of the group did not respond initially to Don Benito's hospitality, but he kept insisting that he wanted to serve us something to drink. He told us he wanted to return to us foreigners the hospitality he had received from strangers whom he had met along the way to the United States.

I was interested in hearing more about some of his experiences. Don Benito admitted he had had some bad experiences but did not want to talk about them. He simply made general comments about being detained, being taken advantage of, being dehumanized and mistreated. He preferred to think about the good experiences. He had found people who were helpful to him along the way as well as people who had treated him badly. He held no grudges and wanted to return the hospitality he had received.

What a lesson! Could we become like Don Benito even when we are unfairly mistreated and taken advantage of? Do we choose to forgive and serve those who may look like those who mistreated us?

Loving strangers means welcoming their hospitality

In the 1980s, I had the privilege to participate in a study tour to El Salvador during wartime. We were in a rural area and had to walk to visit a church that was expecting us. They wanted to share their struggles and help us understand the situation in which they were living.

On the way, we stopped at the house of a woman from the church whom I will call Maria. Her home had two rooms with the cleanest dirt floor I had ever seen. The family was poor and the children malnourished but they took very good care of the few resources they had.

Maria lived there with eight of her children; her husband had been killed in the war. She had two older daughters. The oldest daughter had left the village to travel to the United States to search for work and help support the rest of the family. Her daughter had a child, who she left behind in order to make the trip. Maria was very concerned because she had not heard anything from her daughter for several months.

Maria had a few chickens that she kept for eggs to feed the family. Maria would also pay the doctor with a chicken when any of the children were sick. On that day, she had collected four eggs. Maria was excited that we came to visit her and wanted to show her hospitality by giving us something. The only things she had to give us were the eggs. We looked around and did not see any other food in the kitchen. We told her that she should use the eggs to feed her family.

I felt awful because I knew that the children needed the protein in their diet. Maria insisted that we take the eggs. She wanted to give the best she had and we finally received her gift as graciously as we knew how. Her hospitality and generosity were overwhelming to me. We took the eggs and I cried on our way to church. Maria gave all she had! It is the same with God who gave his only son. Grace is the hospitality of God. The ultimate act of hospitality took place when Jesus died to make everyone who believes a member of God's family.

Endnotes

1 John Koenig, New Testament Hospitality: Partnership with Strangers as Promise and Mission (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985), 6.

2 Diane Bergant, Ruth: The Migrant who Saved the People, First International Conference on Migration, Theology and Globalization, January 24-27, 2002, Tijuana, Mexico.

3 Christine Pohl, Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company), 24, 40.

4 John Koenig, p. 16.

5 John Koenig, p. 2.

6 Ana Maris Pineda, "Hospitality," Practicing Our Faith. Dorothy Bas, ed., (San Francisco: Josey-Bass), 30.

7 John Koenig, p. 128, 133.

Las Posadas information:
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/laspsds.html

Questions for Discussion

1. When have you experienced the presence of God in a stranger like Abraham did? What would keep you from encountering God in the stranger? Are their obstacles in your life that might hinder you from seeing Jesus in the stranger?

2. When have you seen Jesus in the stranger? What characteristics should we look for? Note Matthew 25.

3. What do you say when strangers are being stereotyped or mistreated? What causes you to keep silent when you have the chance to speak up?

4. Hebrews 11:13-16 tells us that all those mentioned in that chapter were still living by faith when they died. They also confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth. In what ways do you see yourself as a stranger and pilgrim on this earth?

5. How would you welcome a stranger's hospitality? What feelings might you have that would make you feel uncomfortable in receiving the hospitality of a stranger?

6. What are the risks in welcoming strangers?

7. How is God strengthening your faith because of your involvement with strangers in your community? What blessings have you experienced as you relate to strangers? What does God require of us today?

8. How is God challenging your beliefs today as they relate to your view of strangers in your community or country?

9. Are you willing to intercede on behalf of the strangers in your community or country? Are you willing to intercede for your country?