Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7, ESV
When I was a young adult, sometimes I would leave after work on a Friday to visit my grandparents. They knew I would not arrive until sometime after midnight, so they told me to drive carefully, and they’d leave the light on.
I recently put together a Bible study on biblical hospitality. Through this, I learned that not only was hospitality expected in the Middle Eastern culture of the early church, but hospitality was also essential to the spread of the Gospel. Restaurants, hotels, and superstores were not readily available and there were no church buildings, so it was the Christians who provided food, lodging, a place to meet, and sometimes even clothing to early missionaries as they traveled from place to place. The early missionaries did not always arrive when expected, so making them feel welcome required advanced planning.
This made me think about my students who travel to school with their backpacks, and I realized that I have the opportunity to be hospitable to them every day. I know they try to pack what they should, but sometimes they forget the things they need for the day. I can keep an emergency stash of pencils and paper. I can keep a blanket or sweatshirt for the kid who gets cold. And I can keep a stash of granola bars for the kid who forgets his lunch or eats it all after first period. I can provide a comfortable and welcoming classroom. It is not required, it is not fancy, but it is not forbidden either and it just might help me shine my light for Jesus. Biblical hospitality is about being intentional. It’s about building relationships. It’s about leaving the light on.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to welcome my students as You have welcomed me. Show me how I can demonstrate hospitality to them and other people who need Your love and care. And thank you for the promise that You are preparing a place for me in Your house. I can’t wait to hear You say, “Welcome home!”
Copyright Diana Anderson.
Diana Anderson is a member who teaches history and art to secondary students at a Christian school in Kennewick, WA.
3 Responses
Over a sixty year interaction with students at all levels even including graduate students, I have found the advice of this message of care and concern for each student to be imperative to a successful teaching and learning environment. The old song “Little Things Mean A Lot” has been and continues to be a truism.
So true! Thanks for sharing, Al!
Thank you so much for encouraging me to keep helping the students in ways I can as a Health Clerk Aid. 😊
Blessings to you. 💝🙏