Unaware

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2

“Without knowing it”. . . what a phrase.

“Without knowing it” sounds like someone isn’t too smart. The cynic in me wants to yell, “If you can do something and not know it, does it matter that you did it?”

You better believe it.

We often do things without knowing the effect of what we do.

            *Did you ever say something that hurt someone “without knowing it”?

            *Were you ever an encouragement “without knowing it”?

            *Did a mom ever show love “without knowing it”?

 

            *Did a teacher ever instill values and aspirations “without knowing it”?

Of course, we do things without knowing it every day.

Maybe that’s why Scripture admonishes us (remember the Author/Inspirer of Scripture is GOD) “do not dare to neglect showing hospitality to strangers.”

The word translated “Hospitality” in the language of the Bible has an interesting structure and meaning. It’s a compound word from the words for “affectionate loving” and “those who are different, other or strangers.”

Hmmm. . . so, God is saying in Scripture, “Make sure you show affectionate love for those who are different than you.” Yep.

Huh?

Are you sure God meant to say that?

Hey, I'm not the editor; I’m just a reader of the Good Book. But it’s called the Good Book because it has tons of GOOD THINGS like this that stretch our brains and expand our horizons. And, I should add, drive some people crazy

God is determined to bring His thoughts and perspective to us. So much so that He decided to identify with the “different, other and strangers” in His world through the Incarnation. He did this to bring the stranger home, to include the different, to love the other.

Go ahead and scratch your head while you’re thinking. It’s ok to be amazed because that’s what God does. He amazes us. His wisdom astounds and His heart overwhelms.

God loves those who are “different” . . . “other”. . . and “strangers.”

That’s a good thing and I’m glad about it. That means there’s a place for me in His family. Just because I sense I’m different and often feel I don’t belong in most circles doesn’t mean I don’t belong in His.

And that means there’s room for everybody who will come in. That’s called Good News. It’s what Jesus taught, lived and left.

Did you know He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17?

Wow. I was unaware of that.

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2

Translucence

“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness”—He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory 
in the face of Jesus Christ.”—II Corinthians 4:6

Incredibly beautiful sights have graced my eyes during my vacation time here in New England. Incredibly diverse, brilliant and vivid colors splash their beauty across the horizon. Unlike most things we admire, they look better as you draw closer. They bear close scrutiny because they have nothing to hide. They live their life in the light and don’t shrink back when the light comes. They are open to the light. And it shows.

I'm not like that. I like the blinds pulled tightly and the blackout curtain drawn when I’m in the hotel room. When I awaken, I gradually, very gradually, adjust to the light. I take my cue from the way dawn comes on slowly each morning. The sun doesn’t just pop up each morning. As the Great Book says, “like the morning sun; shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18

I don’t think I’m too unusual (at least that way :-); but what’s normal in natural life is not necessarily the norm for life in the Spirit.

“If we walk in the light as He is in the light. . .” I John 1:7 is the desire and call of God for humanity. He created us with an image that is made for the light; to be in the light and to shine with His light.

But Adam and Eve taught us all too well to shrink from the Light of God. Like our ancestors we fear being fully seen, deeply known and understood. We sense something’s amiss deep within and we’d rather hide than face the light. Sadly we choose to conceal our hearts rather than reveal our needs. We are afraid of the exposure light brings.

We mistakenly think exposure is God’s end game; it is not.

Exposure is a step in His process to prepare our lives for His illumination; that’s God’s endgame. God’s desire is to shine on us, in us and through us. It’s called being Translucent. When something is Translucent, light can pass through it but the objects on the other side can't be seen in clear detail. That’s why Jesus said, “Let your light shine”. . . His love is shining in us and through us but the world sees us. It’s up to us to share the source of the light. We are not the light; we are translucent.

Planted

In the beginning . . . God planted humanity in a world He created to flourish. God gave the original couple blessing and possibilities: “Be fruitful; multiply, fill the earth. . .” Genesis 1:28

Everything was in balance and harmony and life was grand.

Today. . . God has planted you and me in a world He created to flourish. I bet you’re thinking: “Are you sure?. . . What about all the brokenness and hate and fighting in the world? . . . Surely we must be on Plan B or C or maybe even Z. . .  It looks like it’s too late to even talk about flourishing.”

Hey, God’s intention hasn’t changed. He is all about flourishing. And He keeps on planting people in this world to help the world to flourish. Listen to this declaration God makes about people who put their trust and confidence in Him: 

“This one will be like a tree planted by water; 

it sends its roots out toward a stream, 

it doesn’t fear when heat comes, 

and its foliage remains green. 

It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.”   

Jeremiah 17:8

God gave similar words in Psalms, parables and letters.

He means it.      And He means for us to believe it.      And dream with it.      And risk with it.

We are planted in His world and He loves this world and wants it to flourish. There’s not much chance of that happening if the very ones He planted in it for that purpose give up hope and say, “It’s no use. There’s no hope.”  

That kind of speech is offensive to God and it should be to His people as well because we have been planted.

And we have been given seed to plant. Good News seed . . . His kind of Love seed . . . seed that will flourish when faith is added. It’s time to remember God’s purpose is to be our purpose. His calling is our calling. And He is about flourishing.

He hasn’t given up on this world. He still has some harvesting to do.

So do we. And we will harvest if we remember we were planted and can do some planting with His Good News and His kind of Love seed.

“This one will be like a tree. . . planted.” 

LINK to pdan's audio file for "Growing a Legacy of Integrity"  - October 2, 2016.