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

Last summer, Lori and I took our adult children, their spouses, and our four grandchildren on a vacation to Vermont. We always enjoy visiting new places and this time found a rental near Woodstock. On the first morning, four of us headed out for a walk. Soon, our daughter-in-law decided to pick up the pace and took off for a run, leaving Lori, our daughter and me to explore on foot.  We headed to the river and walked across one of the state’s iconic covered bridges.  

We had been out  about 45 minutes when my companions said they wanted to head back to the house. I decided to keep walking and after completing a loop around a street bordering the river headed back across the bridge and up the hill toward our rental.  I had not paid close attention to the route earlier, but knew that our house was off this road. I turned left on the first side street and quickly realized it didn’t look familiar, returned to the main road, climbed some more and took the next one on the left. It, too, turned out to be the wrong one. I continued up the hill, knowing the house had to be close. After a half-hour, I gave up.  Having shown once again that I have no sense of direction, my circumstance was complicated by the fact I had not brought my cell phone and wasn’t sure of the house address. This former Eagle Scout was tired and lost. 

I then noticed two houses at the top of a steep driveway.  I walked up to one that had two cars outside, climbed onto the side porch and rang the doorbell.  I moved back down the steps as one young woman and then another one named Christine came to the door.  I explained my situation and expressed concern that my family would be worried. Could one of them make a call? Christine smiled and said “That sounds just like something my father would do!”  Accepting her offer of a phone, I dialed Lori’s number, but got no response. Christine looked up the neighborhood on a Google map and soon figured out the road I needed. I had gone left when I should have turned right.  “Let me drive you there,” she offered. I demurred and suggested we try FaceTime. That effort got no response either.  Christine repeated the offer to drive me, adding “Let me do the Vermont thing and take you.”  I relented, and a few minutes later, she dropped me off at our house and walked inside only to discover that my family wasn’t worried at all!

Hospitality is a frequent theme in the Bible. It reflects an essential expectation in the world of the ancient Near East and part of Jesus’ instruction as well. In our own time, though, such instincts can be muted by voices that say “be careful.” We lock our doors and rely on security cameras. We teach our children not to talk to strangers and look over our shoulder when walking in unfamiliar places. We hesitate when individuals ask us for help at the stoplight or on a busy sidewalk. I’ve done all of those things in the past. Perhaps you have, too.

Yet the writer of Hebrews urges us to show hospitality to strangers, recalling how in the past persons doing so ended up entertaining angels without knowing it. In my case, the angel turned out to be a woman named Christine.  Perhaps the next time, that angel will be you. 

Great Heart of Love, we celebrate persons who have shown us the kind of hospitality you intend. Help us do the same with the strangers and fellow travelers of this world.  Amen.