Happy Leap Year!
Genesis 18:1-15 Hebrews 13:1-2
What acts of hospitality does Abraham show to the three travelers?
Showing hospitality to strangers was very important in that culture. it was considered a sacred duty. Why do you think we’ve lost that value in our culture?
The writer of Hebrews references this story to encourage hospitality. We may be entertaining angels without knowing it. Would seeing a person who is homeless as an angel change your reaction to her/him? How?
How might you recover hospitality in your life? How will a “stranger/angel” in your community experience your hospitality today?
Tongue on Fire 
Today, I was discussing the story of Abram and the 3 visitors with several others. We realized that the word “stranger” has been drummed into our heads from the time we were small with negative messages. We all remembered “stranger danger” talks in grade school. Our parents instructed us religiously to “never talk to strangers”. We are taught to fear the unknown person. Only the people you know are “safe.” There is no place for the stranger–we isolate ourselves from them and shield ourselves from contact.
One thing I found interesting about the story was that when Abram saw the 3 men, he went out to where they were and welcomed them–a little distance from his tent. He approached them and showed them ample hospitality, but he never invited them inside his tent. The entire interaction took place in a public space. Abram fulfilled the expectation of hospitality, but didn’t take unnecessary risks.
I’ll have to think a bit more to figure out how that impacts my practice of hospitality. I just know that I cannot be hospitable at all if I maintain the “stranger danger” discourse in my head.
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