Often people will want to do something for another. Often they think something big, extravagant has to be done or it to really would not mean anything.
You know some of the best stories about life, goodness, kindness, generosity can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible. Now before someone wants to take me to task, yes there are some not so pleasant stories recorded and some difficult ones to understand. And yes I know there are some folks who call Biblical stories, fairy tales. OK. Read them for what you think is worth.
In II Kings chapter four there's a fella, Elisha, who is passing through this town. For some reason a lady in this town engages in conversation with him and from that meeting invites him to her home for a meal. For whatever reason this fella continues the pattern of passing through this town and she continues "When you're in town stop and eat with us." He does.
The lady even goes further. For some reason she seems to sense that he is a good man, possibly has this pattern of coming through their town for a special reason. Thus she approaches her husband, "Hey ol' Elisha he comes this way often, why don't we do something special for him? Her husband is in agreement, probably having shared meals with him and has also come to appreciate him.
What do they do? Well of all things how crazy is this? They create within their own home a small room upstairs at their house. Maybe in their attic or second floor. Then they furnish it with a bed, desk, chair and lamp so when he comes to town each time he will have a place to stay say rather than the Holiday Inn.
Interesting it how this hospitality came about. One person noticing another person. Wonder where she saw him, at the bus stop, standing on the corner, at a 7-11, Starbucks, getting coffee at McDonald's? The point is she saw him, engaged him, learned something about him, then "Hey the next time you're in town stay with us, we have an extra room you can rest, sleep there and then be on your way."
Hospitality. A great gift that one can give to another.
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December 16, 2017
Keep on,
Larry Adamson