If you read last week’s article I wanted you to know that I did make it to San Diego and everything was just fine. I also returned with only a 20-minute delay on Monday morning. Nothing but “First World problems.” All is good.

While I was in San Diego, I had the privilege to go the San Diego Safari Park. The funny thing is that it is not in San Diego. It should be called the Escondido Safari Park, but alas, it is not. That was not what impressed me. What surprised me was their friendliness.

Not unlike a church, the safari park had people who worked there and there were a lot of volunteers. Every person who wore a uniform engaged us and warmly chatted with us. They didn’t wait for us to come to them, they came to us and greeted us first.

I remarked to Rachel that this organization has their act together. She agreed. It is one thing to engage a person when you need something like, “Where are the bathrooms?” or “Where is the exit?” and receive a polite answer. It is quite another thing for everyone people to catch your eye and say, “Good morning, is there anything I can help you with today?” Without fail, everyone we talked to that morning who worked at the safari park treated us like we were VIPs. Remember, not all of those people were paid, many were volunteers!

I can’t help but think of a one of the shortest sentences in the Bible. When Paul wrote to the church in Rome he gave a bunch of instruction in chapter 12. Nestled within that instruction he says this.

“Practice hospitality.” –Romans 12:13b

 Two simple words. The people at the safari park reminded me of what it feels like to feel welcomed and cared for.

“Hospitality to all” is a core value to us here at Bethel. How we treat people is important to us. Not just in words but in our actions too. Jesus was in the people business and because this church is His,  we too should be in the people business. John Maxwell once said, “People don’t care  how much you know until they know how much you care.” It is so true. People can’t hear of God’s love at church if they don’t experience our love first.

Hospitality holds a higher value in middle Eastern society than it does in the United States. It prompted Abraham to offer food and drink to his three visitors (God) in Genesis 18.

It is what prompted Lot (Abraham’s nephew) in Genesis 19 to protect the two angels in his home in Sodom from the men who wanted to do unspeakable things to them. While Lot’s idea of how to protect them is appalling to us — he offers his daughters to the crowd instead — the point is that the Law of Hospitality is so strong that it even supersedes the obligation to protect one’s own family.

We will never be in a place that that expects us to forsake our family for the good of the stranger, but it is a reminder to me that the world can be an ugly place. It just may be that someone who comes through our doors at Bethel is looking for a refuge from that ugliness. A place free of labels, hate, judgment and a whole host of other things.

How we treat others is a reflection of God’s love in our own lives. If we sense that God loves us, sinful as we are, then we can be sure that God loves the stranger in our midst.

God bless,
Pr. Ben