Today I want to remind you of an event from the life of Abraham, the man from the Old Testament who is described as being the father of all believers (believers in the Old Testament and New Testament). One day, the sun was blazing as Abraham sat at the entrance to his tent. Maybe he was resting from the morning’s labor, or waiting for the sun to set a bit before going back to work. He saw 3 men standing nearby. Thinking that these men were weary travelers Abraham leapt into action.
In Abraham’s day there were no rest-stops, no roadside restaurants, no service stations to gas up camels with some water before they got back on their way. Travelers, especially ones that dared to travel long distances were dependent on the kindness of strangers to open their homes to them if they needed a drink, a meal, or a safe place to lay their head. Kind people would open their homes to travelers, because they understood that if they were traveling they would want to be welcomed and taken care of too. Hospitality was very important to the culture Abraham lived in. So when Abraham saw these strangers he invited them into his tent. His tent was not a Colman camping tent he bought on sale at Walmart, this was his home! He offered these men water to wash-up. He called for his wife Sarah to bake some fresh bread, and has a servant prepare a choice tender calf for a meal, and brought curds and milk as an appetizer before their meal.
What Abraham did not know was that in doing all this he was welcoming the Lord God himself. Without knowing that, Abraham displayed great kindness, a kindness that was fueled by the love that God had first showed him by promising that the world’s savior would come from his family. He showed great care and hospitality, even before knowing that he was entertaining God and angels. In Hebrews chapter 13 the writer makes a reference to this episode from the life of Abraham and encourages us to behave as if we are entertaining angels.
The writer to the the Hebrews makes this reference to Abraham, that if you didn’t know the history of the Jewish people you would miss it. “1 Continue to show brotherly love. 2 Do not fail to show love to strangers, for by doing this some have welcomed angels without realizing it” (Hebrews 13:1,2). The first recipients of this message were Hebrews, the first ears to hear these words were the descendants of Abraham. Many of them would have immediately understood that they were being encourage to show love to strangers because you just might actually be showing kindness to angels, those divine messengers of the One True God. We shouldn’t think of this as a threat. That God is using angels as if they were a toy elf on a shelf that parents buy as Christmas approaches, placing it in their homes and telling their kids to behave or else the little elf spy sitting in the room with a creepy grin on his face will tattle to Santa and they won’t get any gifts for Christmas.
This encouragement is meant to get us to view everyone as deserving of love and kindness. Show hospitality to everyone in caring for others, as if you were entertaining angels – you’re probably not, but treat others as if you are. We’re told to treat even those who are typically seen as the worst society has to offer as deserving our love, “Remember those in prison, as if you were fellow prisoners” (Hebrews 13:3a). Those who are incarcerated are still people whose sins were paid for by the blood of Jesus, this is why our church body sends Christmas cards to prisoners, and send devotional materials to prisons. This is why we have chaplains trained to go into these places that many are scared of, or look down on, because in reality some of us at one point in time might be or have been one bad day, one stupid choice away from being locked up ourselves.
We also can’t look away from the hurting, “and [remember] those who are mistreated, as if you yourselves were also suffering bodily” (Hebrews 13:3b). Remember and show genuine empathy, and sympathy to those who have been used and abused, here God is highlighting the care he wants us to show to those whose bodies bear the marks and pain of their abusers. Those who have been beaten, those who have been sexually abused and tossed aside. The world might see them as victims and say that’s too bad and move on, but we are to see them as a person that God took on flesh to suffer in his body for them too. These are people that will need much help and we are directed to see their need and be with them, as Christ came to earth to see our needs and help us and be with all of us. We might not know exactly what to do, but simply being there for them can make a huge difference in their lives.
And before you’re left thinking that God is only telling us to treat strangers as if they were angels we’re told, “4 Marriage is to be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed is to be kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4). God expects you to care for even your spouse as if they were an angel (even if you are pretty sure their not). God designed marriage in the Garden of Eden. After making Eve from the rib of Adam and gave man his rib back in the form of his wife. God gives husbands and wives so that they might be one flesh. When someone fails to care for their spouse and steps out on them, or lusts after another that God has not given to them in marriage, that person shows hatred to God and his plan for the family, and hatred for the spouse that God has given them. If you are single this command still applies to you! Even if you don’t have a spouse, honor the marriage bed by not jumping into bed with someone who is not your spouse, because this would be sinning against your future spouse or the current/future spouse of the person sinning with you.
You can go about entertaining angels as you care for others, whether or not they actually are angels, because God cares for you. “For God has said: I will never leave you, and I will never forsake you. 6 So then we say with confidence: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b,6). God is telling you to care for whoever you can, however you are able because you have the God of all creation on your side!
People that you offer help to and take advantage of you, that is on them, they can’t take away the forgiveness that Jesus won for you. They can’t change the fact that Jesus wrote your name in the book of life with his own blood. View all people; strangers, family, and friends as those that Christ died for, and you love them as you are equipped to do so!
I don’t know if you or I will ever actually entertain angels, but we should see all people that God puts in our path as some not just worthy of the care we would show to angels. Jesus reminds us that when we care for others, we are showing kindness and love to him. When Jesus returns he will see the kind deeds we have done for others and he will say to his believers, “Amen I tell you: Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me” (Matthew 25:40). This love is motivated by our Savior who showed us the greatest care by laying down his life, that we might have heaven.
