My friend, Bill Murphey, in his morning devotion pod-cast mentioned Hebrews 13:2 where we are told that "some have entertained angels unawares." He could have just stopped there because my mind was off to te races with this idea.
The Greek word ἀγγέλους (angels) means "messengers." In vernacular language the word angels is a reference to the rank and file of the Heavenly host. In addition Scripture mentions three archangels, Michele, Gabriele and Raphael.
It is used here in Hebrews 13:2 in the context of the Christian showing kindness to people that they do not know. I think narrowly understood “entertaining strangers” means demonstrating brotherly love in your treatment fellow Christians whom you do not personally know as is they were beloved family members. One way believers can do this is by pitching in to care for the needs of Christian ministers and missionaries, showing hospitality and entertaining them in our homes. In a broader sense “entertaining strangers” could well mean anyone in need that you do not personally know.
First-century accommodations for travelers were often unavailable, especially in smaller towns. If lodgings existed, they were typically expensive, immoral, and unsanitary establishments. It was much more common for travelers to stay in the home of a friend or family member.
The incentive for doing this is the fact that in doing so you may well be showing kindness to and angel (messenger) from God. One of the reasons for showing kindness to people who are essentially strangers to us, other than kindness is to be the rule in the believers life, is because in and amongst those strangers who come in and out of our lives God may very well have placed some of His angels.
Now since some of these strangers you entertain might be messengers from God we must at least acknowledge that messengers are about the business of delivering messages. I think given the fact that ἀγγέλους are messengers sent from God it behooves us to pay careful attention to the strangers among us because God may well be saying something to us through those strangers about our faithfulness in the business of hospitality. A kind of testing not to confirm what He already knows but to prompt us to be diligent.
Have you ever done a kindness, shown hospitality, or rendered some sort of aid and then later wondered if, maybe you had just unbeknown to you at the time, the person you aided (extended hospitality to) was an angel of the Lord. If so, what did you learn?
An interesting thought. I am not sure. I use to be hesitant to give money to strangers . That changed one night late when I pulled into a gas station. I fueled up but the pay at the pump would not take my card. So, I headed in to pay. As I walked by a small car I saw it was packed to the roof with belongings and a young women was slumped over the steering wheel. There were several small children in the seat next to her. I started to keep walking but then for a reason I cannot explain I stopped and tapped on the window. She looked up with a tear streaked, bruised face.I motioned to roll down the window. She did and I ask what was wrong. She said I was finally leaving her husband because, for the first time, he had struck their son when he tried to help her. She said she was trying to get to her mother but could buy gas or food and she did know what to do. She didn’t ask me for anything. I told her to pull up to the pump and I would pay to fill up her tank. She didn’t want to accept at first until I said let me buy the gas, you buy the food. After I left I thought, all she got was a tank of gas. I got a change of heart. I think I got the better deal.
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