Devotions from Judy’s heart

I have always thought that hospitality was important as I saw it being practiced in my own home growing up. There was hardly a Sunday mom didn’t have company for dinner, and often during the week. At one time we had missionaries stay with us for 6 months in our 2 bedroom home. Mom invited people on the spur of the moment if she thought there was a need, and didn’t stop to think if the house was perfect etc. She wasn’t out to impress.

The new issue of Conversations Magazine is all on Welcoming the stranger and it opened my heart more to what that really means.   Jesus gave us such a wonderful example as He welcomed and identified with all sorts of people that others avoided. How do we cultivate a welcoming spirit and openness to other’s needs and to give them a sense of “Home” ?  We have only to think of how Jesus welcomes us and to give up our self-absorption so we can receive others, who may be not like us. I think we will find that we are the ones that are changed and transformed, for “those that we are caring for become our teachers”. As we do it for the least of these … we do it for Him. ( Matt 25:35 and 40)