We're Family Here

In a staff meeting Pastor Tim shared a story with us from a few years back, here at PVUMC.  His friend, Stoney, who he mentions often, was here with his family one Christmas Eve.  Stoney and Pastor Tim’s family sat down with a gentleman who was alone.  I know you can picture this - Pastor Tim said the guy laughed the whole time as he and Stoney shared stories.  After the dinner the gentleman thanked them for letting him sit with them.  He said he was without his family that Christmas and he felt like he had sat with family that night.  Sometimes we can make a big difference by doing the smallest thing.  

Let’s remember this as Wednesday night suppers start back.  I think all of us can relate to walking somewhere new and feeling a little uncomfortable.  What would Jesus do?  He would go to the stranger and show love and He would expect us to also.  Matthew 25: 40, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”  And a favorite is Hebrews 13: 2, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

IF we love God, we will love others.  Love is an action word and it is not just for our friends and family.  When we show love to strangers, we are showing our love for Jesus.  We have all heard, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”  

Our compassion and mercy are not how we enter God’s Kingdom but they show that we are a part of God’s family!  Leviticus 19: 33-34, “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.  You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  In the same way, we are, all, family here at PVUMC land!