hospitality

Redeemed Day 7 Favored Not Forsaken: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) What does the exchange between Boaz and his workers reveal in verse 4?

2) In this passage, why was Boaz able to demonstrate God’s characteristics?

3) How does hospitality connect with the gospel?

Ruth 2:1-17

Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side. He was a prominent man of noble character from Elimelech’s family. His name was Boaz.
2 Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, “Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grain behind someone with whom I find favor?”
Naomi answered her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.

4 Later, when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he said to the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.”
“The Lord bless you,” they replied.
5 Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?”

6 The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has been on her feet since early morning, except that she rested a little in the shelter.”

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. 9 See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”
10 She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?”

11 Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know. 12 May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

13 “My lord,” she said, “I have found favor with you, for you have comforted and encouraged your servant, although I am not like one of your female servants.”

14 At mealtime Boaz told her, “Come over here and have some bread and dip it in the vinegar sauce.” So she sat beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain. She ate and was satisfied and had some left over.

15 When she got up to gather grain, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her even gather grain among the bundles, and don’t humiliate her. 16 Pull out some stalks from the bundles for her and leave them for her to gather. Don’t rebuke her.” 17 So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about twenty-six quarts of barley.

Original Intent

1) What does the exchange between Boaz and his workers reveal in verse 4?
Boaz was quite a wealthy man with many fields, many workers, and many overseers over those fields and workers. He certainly didn’t “need” to visit his fields as he had trusted overseers to keep a keen business eye on all things related to his harvest. The simple fact that Boaz even came to the field in person speaks highly of his character. As further evidence of his kind character, he did not come only to privately engage his overseers to ensure everything was going as planned. He was not visiting to be controlling. The first exchange recorded as Boaz approaches the worksite is a kind greeting that honors both the Lord and the people working for him. Neither did Boaz view his workers as objects to do his bidding, nor did he view himself as above the authority of God. Ancient preserved documents, called Targums, were written in Aramaic as a sort of explanatory commentary of Scripture for Jews who had, over time, forgotten how to speak or understand the Hebrew language. Today, the Targum can provide insight for us into cultural understanding when it comes to studying Scripture. For this specific exchange between Boaz and his workers, the Targum expands our understanding to include the idea that Boaz was pronouncing a genuine blessing from the Lord to the people, which included a prayer for their health, well-being, and safety as they labored. In reciprocity, the harvesters responded in like blessing by also praying prosperity over Boaz.

2) In this passage, why was Boaz able to demonstrate God’s characteristics?
Boaz’ life mirrored the character of God because He had grown up knowing and loving the God of the Bible, Yahweh. Boaz himself was a foreigner being the son of the Gentile prostitute, Rahab, and her Jewish husband, Salmon. (Matthew 1:5) While he could have been excluded because he wasn’t a full-blooded Jew, he experienced the inclusion of a God who lovingly draws in all people. This God so kindly grafted Boaz in that he became a key player in the family lineage of Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph! Because Boaz was so radically loved, his life naturally reflected the attributes of love as first portrayed by God. The Lord God was a refuge and protector to His people Israel (Psalm 3:3-4), and we find Boaz specifically speaking to his workers to not bother Ruth. (Ruth 2:9) The Lord God provided food and drink, exactly the amount needed for Israel as they wandered in the desert. (Exodus 16:11-12) Likewise, Boaz went out of his way to provide food and drink to completely satisfy Ruth and Naomi. (Ruth 2:14-17) Pointing forward to Jesus, only in Him can a soul find protection from the consequence of sin, which is death. (Romans 10:13) Only in Jesus, can we be sheltered from the chaos of everyday life by finding peace with God. (Romans 5:1) Jesus calls Himself the “bread of life” (John 6:35) and the source of “living water” (John 7:38-39) because only in Christ can anyone find true satisfaction that will never leave us empty or dissatisfied. (John 10:10)

3) How does hospitality connect with the gospel?
It’s simply not possible to read this account of Boaz and not be impressed by his humility, generosity, and hospitality, especially when we keep in mind that Ruth was a non-Jew Gentile living, and working, in a very Jewish town. She should have most-definitely been the city’s outcast. She was the proverbial black sheep. Her clothes were different. Her speech and tonal inflections were different. Her growing up experiences were different. Her religious background was different. Surely, these factors created too great of a divide to bridge for one community! Boaz proved otherwise with his lavish hospitality. He noticed her, as she obviously stuck out to everyone, but he responded to her apparent differences with humility and kind graciousness. In the face of her extreme minority, Boaz did not use his majority power and influence either to ignore or mock her, instead he elevated her. He sat with her during meal time, giving her the best of the noon meal. (verse 14) He spoke with her face to face when he could have easily sent a male overseer with a message, (verses 8-9) and he went above and beyond by encouraging her heart with a good report he’d heard of her and prayed a blessing over her. (verses 11-12) Then, Boaz blessed her house with more meals to share between her and Naomi. (verse 17) Boaz demonstrated true hospitality, not because he was wealthy, but because he was humble and loved the outcast.

Everyday Application

1) What does the exchange between Boaz and his workers reveal in verse 4?
Not only do we see God’s character so sweetly reflected in Boaz in this exchange, but we also have a wonderful model for engaging others around us! Just as Boaz didn’t see himself as too lofty to associate with the common workers in his hot, dusty fields, so the Lord Jesus humbled Himself to come and dwell with us in order to sacrifice Himself for us. Boaz specifically spoke to his workers and offered prayers over them with genuine sincerity, how much more does Jesus do for us! Constantly He is interceding for us in prayer to the Father through the Spirit, and never once are we abandoned and removed from His presence, though we are so unworthy of such a lavish gift! What a refreshing gift to see such a good example of Jesus in someone else! Doesn’t it encourage you to live more boldly and loving as an example to others as well?! In our culture, the common exchange is, “How are you?” to be responded with a hearty, “Good! And you?”. Even among believers, sometimes we throw around words like “blessings” or “Lord bless you”, but how much more meaningful would these exchanges become if we accompanied a genuine prayer for the other person along with our words? Take the challenge and pray specifically for the next person you share a common greeting! For a little deeper dive, take a look at the short letters towards the end of the New Testament to catch a glimpse of Paul’s prayers of blessings over those who read his letters!

2) In this passage, why was Boaz able to demonstrate God’s characteristics?
Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Corinth, “Imitate me as I also imitate Christ”. (1 Corinthians 11:1) He had just finished explaining to the Corinthians how he quite intentionally lived his life for the purpose of sharing the hope and love of Jesus to all people, regardless of what he was doing. Even down to what he ate and drank, Paul wanted those around him to know he loved them and was putting them above himself because that is exactly how Jesus loves us. (1 Corinthians 10:23-33) Boaz clearly demonstrates this same principle. Loving others with generosity and genuine kindness wasn’t something he did for show or in attempt to somehow “win favor” either from God (pride because it’s impossible) or people (pride because it’s self-focused). Boaz loved others like God had loved him. Jesus said of the woman who sacrificially anointed Him in Bethany, “her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much.” (Luke 7:47) When we realize how far away our sin removes us from the loving presence of God, we understand how deeply we need to be forgiven. The chasm between us as sinful human beings and the perfectly holy God is impossibly wide. Only through Jesus can it be crossed. Then, when we are awash with the realization that God, in Christ Jesus, removes our sin as far as the east is from the west, we are radically made new and repurposed to love others as deeply as we have been loved. Be encouraged by Boaz’ example of redemption and live lives that love others and imitate Christ in everything we do!

3) How does hospitality connect with the gospel?
A shared meal between close friends or relatives is one thing, but it’s quite another to extend lavish hospitality to those outside your circle of comfort and familiarity. Whether it’s another race, another culture, income level, or lifestyle choice, actually living out humble, loving generosity in the form of hospitality puts the gospel on brilliant display like little else! It’s easy to love those who love us and make us feel comfortable, but that is not the gospel. (Luke 6:32-36) Christ did not come to save those who claimed self-righteousness, but to rescue those who realized they were destitute and entirely excluded from right standing with God on their own merit. (Luke 5:32) When we live our everyday lives intentionally on the lookout for those who are different from us, for the purpose of loving them like Jesus, we will find ourselves reaching for the house key of hospitality by which we open the door to share the gospel with our new friends. Reach across the line, love someone different than you, and enjoy the sweet reward of fellowship brought about by the love of Christ!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Neighbor Day 8 Reaching Beyond Isolation

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 10:25-37
Matthew 28:18-20
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Psalm 139:1-6

Neighbor, Day 8

I look out my window and see her walking to her mailbox. I suddenly realize we have now lived in this house, next door to this lady and her family, for a whole year, yet I know very little about her.

I’ve certainly never invited her over for tea or coffee like I intended. All I really know about her is she is a fellow homeschool mom. Embarrassingly, I don’t even know how many children she homeschools.

Perhaps you can relate to this scenario. Sadly, it’s an incredibly common one in our age of isolation and busyness. But common though it may be, it is a far cry from what God intended for us.

From Genesis 2:18, when God first declares it is not good for man to be alone, to Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which speaks of the sad danger of doing life in isolation, we see God created us as relational humans, designed to do life in community.

Not only that, but a crucial aspect of the Christian life is seeking to fulfill the Great Commission, which centers around relationships and living an invitational, hospitable life.

But we have allowed busyness to creep in.
We have allowed to-do lists, expectations, and goals
to crowd in and crowd out
long teatime chats, visits, hospitality, and potluck dinners with friends and strangers alike.

We may not realize, however, how foundational prayer is to reaching our neighbors with the love, light, and good news of Christ. Scratching tasks off the to-do list, or removing events from our calendars, in an attempt to make space for discipleship is a good first step, but it won’t get the job done. Even purposing to “do better” and be more hospitable in the future leaves us relying on our own efforts.

Instead, effective discipleship is a living, moving partnership with the Father,
and it all starts with prayer.

4 Prayers to Pray As We Seek to Reach Our Neighbors

1. Pray for eyes to see and a heart to care.
We all have neighbors with whom we have barely had a complete conversation, let alone made time to build deep and authentic connections. Often, this stems from a lack of understanding of the huge importance of befriending our neighbors and sharing the love of Christ.

So, let’s pray for understanding hearts, ones who care more deeply for those around us than we do for our own comfort, convenience, or daily agenda. Then, pray for eyes to truly see those around us, eyes not fixed on our own busyness and to-do list, but rather on the people the Lord has placed in our communities. Let’s ask for God’s vision for reaching our neighbors. He will undoubtedly answer our prayers!

2. Pray for opportunities to reach out, and the fortitude and intentionality to follow through.
Once our hearts are in the right place, we can pray for opportunities to build relationships with our neighbors. Those around us are often just as busy as we are, so unless we are praying for open doors and for the will to intentionally take advantage of the opportunities when they do arise, they may just slip by unnoticed. As we work to build trust, our consistency and follow-through are key.

3. Pray for receptive hearts.
We don’t know what our neighbors are currently going through or what their worldview may be, but God does. We can ask His Spirit to touch their hearts and make them receptive not only to our invitations to get together, but also to the words He leads us to speak.

4. Pray for God to speak His powerful, incisive words through us.
Lastly, let’s cover those anticipated conversations in prayer. Let’s ask for His wisdom and discernment to guide our words. Finally, we can seek the Lord’s blessing on our efforts to genuinely connect with, love, and serve our communities.

And then sit back and watch what He does with your willingness to obey and live out His great commission, right where you are, in your very own neighborhood!

It can feel rather uncomfortable to reach out to people we don’t even know. But it is part of our Great Commission from our Lord, and it is worth the awkwardness it may take to get there!

Step out in faith and obedience, and the Lord will do the rest!

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Open Day 15 The Land Of Offense

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Open, Day 15

Genesis 45:4-16
Psalm 112:5-9
Luke 12:31-34
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Are you familiar with the Land of Offense, friend?
Allow me to paint a picture….

The trees in the woods are dark; the forest shrouded in hurt. Every branch juts furiously into the air, each one a reminder of the unforgivable thing done to us. The sky is aflame with ugly orange and red streaks of anger, while the clouds are vicious and circular…not unlike the thought patterns which turn the offense over and over in our minds.

Flowers are unable to bloom for the infestation of irritation, and the borders of the Land of Offense are closed to visitors, because we refuse to allow anyone close enough to see our brokenness. The most interesting feature?
In many cases, the Land is virtually invisible to whomever we might consider “the offender.”

That’s right. This thing we’ve chosen to pick up and carry affects us and everyone around us…..while the person(s) we blame for our misery remain blissfully unaware.

It’s no mistake that when Jesus taught on anger, He instructed that if we are presenting our offering to Him and remember our brother is carrying an offense against us, we are to stop and leave at once to make amends with that person.

Isn’t His wording interesting there?
Rather than instructing us to go and make amends with the person we have offended, He specifically instructs us to first recognize if our brother has picked up an offense against us, and to make that right before we continue with our own offering.

Do you catch the nuances there?
It has little to do with whether or not we feel like we have done something wrong, and everything to do with accepting our responsibility to go to the person who is offended and restore that relationship.

Talk about high challenge.

The truth here, Love?
We have all undoubtedly been hurt.
We live in a world full of broken people. In fact, I can guarantee that 100% of the people in your circle are broken. In the same way, I can guarantee that 100% of us have hurt someone else, intentionally or not.

Do you know who had every right to be offended?
Joseph.
He was betrayed by those who should have loved him best: his older brothers. Worse, they planned to kill him! At the last minute, they sold him into slavery, then convinced his father he’d been killed by a wild animal.

I wonder what we would have done in that situation. 

If you or I had been on the receiving end of murderous intent, then trafficked by our own brothers, would we have resisted the temptation to harbor un-forgiveness and anger toward those who hurt us?
Would we have extended forgiveness?
Would we have offered praise to the Lord, even then?

I don’t know, Sister. I’d like to think so, but if I’m being honest, the truth is that I’ve picked up an offense over far (and I do mean far) less than Joseph’s offenses.

Yet, that’s exactly what Joseph did.
Rather than wallowing in self-pity, or fueling himself with anger and hatred for the rest of his days, he chose to view everything through Kingdom vision and rest in the knowledge that his God was in control.

Even when he was betrayed by those closest to him.
Even when he was stripped of honor and dignity and thrown into a pit like an animal.
Even when he was sold into slavery for a few coins.
Even when he was falsely accused and his reputation destroyed.
Even when he was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.

The Lord blessed Joseph, not because of who Joseph was or what he did, but because the Lord is God, and He chose to be with Joseph. He made Joseph successful in every endeavor.

When the time came, and Joseph was given the opportunity to exact vengeance on his guilty brothers, the Lord moved his heart to act in forgiveness instead.
Because Joseph had chosen to trust God even when he had a right to be offended, he wasn’t hung up on what had happened all those years ago.
Because Joseph chose forgiveness rather than offense, the Lord was able to move through Joseph and extend hospitality to the very brothers who once longed to murder him. Through Joseph’s obedience and faith, his entire family was spared from the famine which ravaged the land. They, and everyone in their households, including their livestock, were well cared for and had all they needed.

Sister, what would this place look like if each one of us committed to forgiveness and obedience, in our even when?

Would we begin to see the Lord move powerfully in our families and schools and churches and cities because we would be unwilling to choose citizenship in the Land of Offense?

Would He begin to fill us with a fresh spirit of hospitality,
because there would be so much room to fill in a life lived free from offense?

Would we begin to see a move of God that doesn’t make sense to the world, because rather than handing out condemnation, we would allow Holy Spirit to do His work while we do ours by inviting the broken into our homes, our lives, and our church pews?

Father, You are just and holy.
Forgive me for the times I have been quick to pick up an offense against others.
Show me what a life lived free from offense looks like, so I can be Your vessel, capable of extending hospitality from a heart that is open and ready to give.
I want to be a good ambassador of your Name.
Shape me to look like You!
Amen.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Open Day 13 Radical Offering

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Kings 4:8-17
Matthew 6:1-4
Matthew 25:42-46

Open, Day 13

Twelve years ago, I met a woman we’ll call “Marcy”.
Marcy’s children and I went to the same school and attended the same church. I knew Marcy’s children better than I knew Marcy, but over the years, we served together in different ministries at church and grew closer.

Marcy and her family live in a beautiful home, her husband has a solid job, and from the outside looking in, it appears that Marcy has everything she needs and even wants. That’s all pretty surface-y, but I’m guessing we can all imagine someone with Marcy’s lifestyle.

However, I know something else about Marcy….
I know she and her husband live out selfless generosity.
All without saying anything to anyone.

The only way I could possibly know this is if I were a benefactor of their open-handed generosity… which I am.
Marcy has opened her home over and over as a welcome place for discipleship, worship, blessing, celebrating, and feeding others. Including me.
I’ve watched Marcy open her arms to people of all walks of life… sometimes she doesn’t remember their names, but she never forgets a face! That Marcy would literally give the shoes off of her feet to someone… and she has.

My mom once told Marcy the shoes she was wearing were adorable and that I would love them. Finding out we wore the same size, she literally took her shoes off of her feet, handed them to my mom, and told her to give them to me.

Marcy’s husband has used his profession to assist my parents on the mission field at no cost to them. Together they bought my entire cart full of Christmas gifts when we ran into one another at Target, where they were purchasing food to serve to parents with sick kiddos.  This couple have poured themselves out to love others in countless ways as they have discipled, mentored, and given away what they had for others. Marcy told me once that nothing they own is actually theirs, it all belongs to God. 

The reason we’re even calling her “Marcy”, is because many of the times she has given to me, she has sworn me to secrecy. She and her husband live out Matthew 6:1-4 with extravagance! While I could go on about this couple and their generosity, they would humbly remind me that living with open hands and hearts is simply the means by which they are called to further the Kingdom.

Marcy reminds me of a woman in the Bible whose name also isn’t mentioned… perhaps because her heart was so similar to Marcy’s. She wasn’t concerned about being remembered only about living generously.

This nameless woman is known as the “Shunammite Woman”.
Like our friend, Gaius, she isn’t well known, but from Scripture, we do know she was wealthy, married, and perhaps most importantly:
she used hospitality to love others well.

The benefactor of her gifts was a prophet named Elisha.
Elisha and this woman somehow met when he visited her town. She insisted on feeding him. (Which I can only laugh at because I literally try to force-feed my brother every time he visits. “Are you hungry? No? Are you sure? Here, I made spaghetti last night, let me just reheat some for you. I also have salad and brownies and coffee and the lesser-known sparkling water, Bubly!”)

The Shunammite Woman must’ve been a pretty decent cook, because after their first encounter, Elisha stopped by her house to eat every single time he visited. I can’t imagine the conversations that occurred, but there is no doubt that Elisha shared about the One True God, Yahweh, with this woman and her husband. Before long, the Shunammite Woman referred to Elisha as a ‘holy man of God’ and had a room built just for him on the roof of their house. They fully furnished the room and welcomed Elisha and his servant readily.

Many of us have guest rooms and happily welcome visitors throughout the year, but to actually construct an entire room specifically for a guest-turned friend is radical.
Elisha wasn’t family.
This wasn’t a neat Airbnb designed for income off of Elisha.
This was love and hospitality and generosity.

After becoming aware of the work the One True God was doing through Elisha, they used what they had – a rooftop – to support God’s Kingdom work in their community.
Expecting nothing in return.

I’ve been writing this Journey study while sitting in my church’s building watching the hustle and bustle of daily church activities occur. Just a moment ago, friends of mine who are empty-nesters, came over to chat and I asked why they were here on a Thursday morning. “Oh, we have four camp counselors staying at our house and we told them we’d come see them at camp today!”
Open handed generosity.

This same couple has opened up their home again and again for Kingdom work.
After becoming aware of the work the One True God is doing, this couple used what they had – a home with empty rooms – to support God’s work in our community.

Sisters, it doesn’t take much for us to demonstrate incredible hospitality like Marcy, the Shunammite woman, or my empty-nester friends.
Each are using what they have – their homes, their love for people, and their love for the Father – to further the work God is doing.

We don’t need a secure job with a steady income, just an open heart.
Maybe all we have is a pull-out couch, bottomless coffee, or cold water on a hot day.

God takes our willingness,
our open hands,
and open hearts,
and He builds His Kingdom!

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Open Day 11 Messy Hope

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 16:25-34
1 Corinthians 9:15-27
1 Peter 1:3-6

Open, Day 11

Trash littered the ravine.
The small stream that had carved its way through the space trickled over a hodge-podge collection of rocks and discarded waste. The ravine sides rose to host small homes built from cardboard, random pieces of wood, and anything else that could be used to create some sort of barrier from the elements. A small space, think the size of a large walk-in closet, is home for an entire family whose main meal of the day are mud cakes baked as the sun began to rise.
Welcome to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

I had the opportunity to visit Haiti before the massive earthquake in 2010 that caused so much destruction. The impact of which played out in the media for all the world to see, but this is the picture that most readily comes to mind. I pray this vivid memory never fades.

My introduction to the community that lived surrounding the ravine came as I followed the missionary with whom we were working as she delivered medication to those in need. She was a force to be reckoned with and refused to hold back the hope she carried with her. In fact, I sensed the Lord whisper one of the most profound phrases to me as I stood there watching her interactions: messy hope.

Messy hope. My mind whirled as the truth of those words sunk deep into my heart. Spreading the hope of Christ would require my willingness to get messy. I could not reach those who desperately needed to experience Christ if I insistently clung to a mindset of avoiding uncomfortable interactions, being inconvenienced, or being unwilling to engage in conflict-laden scenarios. In that moment in the ravine, I understood the invitation that had just been placed before me. Was I willing to get messy for the Kingdom, to be uncomfortable, and be willing to go the extra step to meet others searching for the Light?

This moment in my history came to mind as I read another moment in history recorded in Acts 16. Paul and Silas found themselves in jail, praying and worshipping the Lord as they awaited next steps. In the midst of this, an earthquake shook the jail, the doors opened, and all restraints released. Now in every action movie I’ve ever seen, this is the cue for the entire prison population to escape as quickly and quietly as possible, especially since the jailer reportedly remained fast asleep through it all.

This, however, was not the response of Paul and Silas.
In fact, when the jailer awoke, Paul announced that everyone was still present.
Everyone.
The Word specifically mentions that the other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas pray. This means that when those doors swung open and shackles dropped away, all the prisoners refrained from bolting for the door.
But why?

Scripture does not specify, but for me personally, if I had just heard two men praying and worshipping while incarcerated, they would have my attention. When the earthquake arrived and the doors shook open, I may have had the thought to bolt until I realized my chains were still solidly in place. However, when those unfastened — not just loosened from the wall, but unfastened — I would have been captivated to discover what happened next.

Something was different about these two men.
They obviously had some sort of connection to the God to whom they prayed.
So, when they remained in their cell, I probably would have too.
Maybe the reality of that much power caused a pause.
Maybe the story was just too intriguing to ignore.
Maybe God had so arrested the attention of the other prisoners, they simply could not tear their eyes away from the scene playing out before them.
Whatever the reason, all the prisoners were still present when the jailer awoke.

Now the jailer’s first response before hearing Paul’s announcement was to draw his sword to kill himself. Death was likely the outcome for this jailer by his superior had the prisoners truly made a getaway.
All hope was gone.
Until…

Until he heard the voice of Paul from within the jail, the gross, smelly, uncomfortable, foul cell. Instead of a clean escape, Paul and Silas chose the messy hope route.

This hospitality was not about presenting the best meals or making someone feel comfortable in your home. This hospitality was about creating a space for the hope of Christ to be presented, tasted, and seen, even in the midst of deplorable conditions.

The jailer, captivated by their bold declaration of the gospel, opens his own home to Paul and Silas. Through their interaction, the jailer’s hospitality, and Paul and Silas’ willingness to offer messy hope despite their circumstances, the entire household comes to the Lord.

So, my question for you, dear sister, is this:
What are your opportunities to offer messy hope?

We all have them, we just tend to excuse them away as messes to avoid. What if we, as a collective whole of Jesus-following-sisters, decided to intentionally enter into the mess, whatever it was, just like Jesus did for us?
I wonder who just might end up being rescued from their sin for eternity as a result!

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Open Day 10 Gaius Who?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

3 John 1:1-15
Isaiah 58:6-12
Matthew 25:31-40
Luke 14:12-14
1 Peter 4:7-11

Open, Day 10

As I type, the Men’s Final Four has been set.  I am an avid sports fan, and especially love watching college basketball.  Even so, I have absolutely NO idea who won the NCAA Championship last year. Or the year before that.

As I thought about how easily we forget (or didn’t even know) the winners of major sporting events, I wondered how many would know even ONE thing about the man highlighted in today’s Journey Study.

Confession: I attended private Christian school from kindergarten to 12th grade, then graduated from a private Christian university.  I have been going to church since before I was born, and still I had to look up who Gaius was.

I hoped I wasn’t the only one drawing a blank, so I did an official Facebook poll to see who would know him.  Of my friends who responded, most suggested he was a character on a TV show or a historical Roman figure.  Those few who made a Biblical reference only VAGUELY knew about some guy Paul wrote about in one of his letters.

At first, I felt bad for poor Gaius.
He lived his life boldly for Jesus, made sacrifices, faced persecution, and endured hardships of many kinds.  He traveled with Paul (Acts 19:29; 20:4), hosted home gatherings (Romans 16:23), and welcomed traveling teachers into his home (3 John 1:1-8). He was a dear friend of the apostle John and was actually the recipient of John’s 3rd letter. In it, we discover Gaius was well respected, regarded as a faithful follower of God, and known for his deep love and genuine kindness.  Yet, here we are today, barely knowing he even existed, let alone recognize his major contributions to the early church.

In a society where we tend to live for recognition, the idea of not being known, or remembered, seems frightening. We spend our days doing all we can to make a name for ourselves, to leave a lasting legacy, ensuring that generations to come will know us.  Heaven forbid we end up forgotten like Gaius.

Recently, I heard a Casting Crowns song called ONLY JESUS. Rather than striving to win trophies and leave a mark the world remembers, the band sings of embracing a much different approach.  They suggest a more selfless mindset, “I don’t care if they remember me…Only Jesus.”

I think Gaius must have had this perspective, thousands of years before Casting Crowns wrote a song about it.

You might have heard the verse, “I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth.”  I actually have this Scripture hung in our house and pray for my girls to live for Jesus as I pass by the sign, but I had no idea John was writing these words in reference to our man Gaius!!!

In his letter to Gaius, John commends his friend for faithfully serving those who are spreading the gospel message.  Gaius doesn’t personally know these people, but because they are fellow believers and administers of the gospel, he opens his home to them.  These men have reported back to John about Gaius’ hospitality, and John is delighted to hear how ‘one of his children is walking in the truth’.

Perhaps Gaius understood firsthand how incredible a homemade meal and warm bed felt after a long day of preaching in an unfamiliar city.  In Acts 19:29, we read how Gaius was one of Paul’s traveling companions.  In the following chapters, we see how Paul and his crew had quite the trip traveling from one city to the next and sometimes back again sharing the Good News.  As they traveled, Gaius heard Paul compel other believers to support those who were making sacrifices to spread the gospel.

Gaius took those words to heart.
Having been welcomed into strangers’ homes as he traveled with Paul, Gaius later opened his door to strangers as they worked to make Jesus known.

Gaius didn’t just know the truth.
He walked in it.

What about us?

We have heard the verses about loving your neighbor, visiting those in prison, feeding the hungry, caring for the orphans and widows.

We KNOW the importance of hospitality, but are we living hospitably?!

When new neighbors move in, do we take them cookies?

When a family at church has a baby, do we bring them diapers?

When we get an email about hosting an international student for Thanksgiving,
do we set an extra plate at the table?

When we see a post on Facebook about the need for foster families, do we go to the informational meeting?

When we are handed a flyer about a women’s clinic and the opportunity to host a teen mom, do we put fresh sheets on the bed in the guest room?

When a co-worker has surgery, do we drop by with flowers?

When our kids are playing at the park, do we set our phone down and chat with moms?

Big or small, our hospitality probably won’t win us any medals or make us famous.
Books won’t be written and movies won’t be made featuring our willingness to be open. Like Gaius, people will most likely forget (or never even know) the sacrifices we make, the gifts we give, or the time and money we spend loving others.

And that’s okay.
Recognition is NOT the goal of living hospitably.

May we sing along with Casting Crowns, “I don’t care if they remember me…Only Jesus.”

May we live like Gaius, knowing that as we open our doors,
God’s love will spread and His kingdom will grow.

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Open Day 5 Hospitality That Loves

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Hebrews 13:1-2
Genesis 18
Matthew 10:40-42
Matthew 25:31-46

Open, Day 5

“Let brotherly love continue.
Don’t neglect to show hospitality,
for by doing this some have welcomed
angels as guests without knowing it.”

Hebrews 13:1-2, reminds us of an event that took place many centuries prior in the life of Abraham. The central truth being that generosity, more specifically hospitality,
is an expression of radical, sacrificial love.

In Genesis 18, the Lord appeared to Abraham. (check out some of his story here)
Abraham looked up and three men were in his presence.
Maybe Abraham had the intuition to know they were angels, but we know he “bowed himself to the ground” as was fitting for his eastern culture. (verse 2) Abraham, a man of influence, great wealth, and many servants, tells the visitors to wait while he prepares a place for them. Then Abraham “hurries” off to find his wife, Sarah, to make dinner for their guests. As they gathered under the spreading branches of oak trees, the Lord once again speaks to Abraham. This time, he explains how Sarah will have a son within a year.
No ordinary son, not a typical newlywed surprise. No. Abraham and Sarah had waited long for the gift of offspring, but now Sarah’s was simply too old to carry children. The blessing of a son, finally, was both outrageous and gleeful. (read Sarah’s story here!)

It’s easy to hurry through the story and focus on the miracle of the baby boy to come, but what we casually gloss over is the invitation.
Abraham and Sarah were blessed by what these men shared, but it was an encounter they would have missed if they had passed up simply being open with their food and tent.

I am 18 years old.
Hospitality looks a little different for me than Abraham and Sarah. I grew up in a home that was quickly turned into a home for others. On any given night, we have extra guests for dinner to this day. This example has affected me and taught me much over the years about living with invitational openness.

This past year as I have been away from home, I’ve discovered this bond and love with other families as well. I’ve been deeply marked and richly blessed because of other’s open invitation to participate in their home life. It’s something I desire so deeply to recreate in the way I treat others and invite them into my “home.”

Sometimes, I think that I get a “pass” for a couple more years on being open like this. That I don’t need to be concerned about hospitality until I’m married with a house and family of my own. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Our homes are certainly a great place to show hospitality,
but it’s not a requirement.

Flash forward, and we see how Jesus fully embodies living with openness.
I think of my Savior bending down to wash the filthy feet of His disciples or stopping mid-stride to engage a hurting woman, calling her daughter.

Jesus shows us that hospitality has more to do with authentic love than a tidy house. Showing people you have time for them, inviting them to feel welcomed, accepted and heard when they are around you. And we can do that anywhere.

Jesus’ example challenges us to look beyond the traditional thought of extending hospitality within the walls of a home. As a traveling preacher with nowhere to lay His head (Luke 9:58), He modeled hospitality along the way as He moved from town to town, and even in the homes of others.

About those physical spaces and living in the mindset of open….
As a single woman and almost college student, there’s something deeply spiritual for me about being invited in by a family.
It’s a sort of safe haven.

A place to soak up as much wisdom as possible.
Space to share a meal and stories of life.
Room to talk about things that matter or even play an intense game of UNO.
An invitation that sweetly declares, “I value spending time with you. I have prepared a place for you.”

Jesus gives us this convicting statement about extending hospitality to those who are vulnerable in Matthew 25:45,
“I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.”

It can be so difficult to offer generous love to people we see as ‘least’ in any given situation. But we are called into it because it’s there where we love sacrificially like Jesus loves.

Something I’ve found really helpful when relating with people who are specifically challenging to love is asking this question to the Lord,
“Jesus, show me what you love about them.”

I use this question of the Lord to help shift my heart towards open when I engage with family, friends, or strangers when I sense my compassion lacking.
Every time, God shows me something in them that honors Him.
Then we can use those words to encourage their hearts, inviting them into an open space of love from the Savior.

Abraham and Sarah’s invitation unknowingly welcomed angels into their midst, not realizing what the conversation would reveal or how deeply they would be blessed.
We create spaces like this whether it’s a dorm room, community space, our home, or even in the words we choose to use with those we struggle to love.
We’re creating a place where people can gather, share real life, and experience Jesus’ love.

When we love through open hospitality,
we love like Christ!

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Open Day 3 Pineapple Power

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 17:8-16
Romans 5:12-21
Hebrews 11:1-40

Open, Day 3

“Did you know pineapple is the symbol for hospitality?” Someone asked my friend this over the weekend. While I found myself nodding because I did actually know that random fact, it was not until I googled the why behind it I began to realize the timeliness of that question.

Based on the articles I read (just google: pineapple hospitality), the pineapple originally became a symbol of hospitality in the 1600s in Europe. Pineapples had to be shipped from tropical locations, and this, in turn, required significant investment by those purchasing them. They became a marker of the wealth and status of that home. If someone attended a party with a pineapple present or served, they knew their host had spared no expense for their guests and the overall experience. Articles stated that people even rented pineapples for their parties to have on display in order to achieve this goal.

As time passed and methods for growing pineapples in other climates became functional, the pineapple transitioned to a true symbol of hospitality accessible to more than the elite. The 19th century marked the shift as pineapples became a literal centerpiece to Christmas celebrations.

By now you may be wondering why the pineapple question is timely or even how it is relevant to a story in the Old Testament. No, you have not randomly missed a pineapple reference in the Word; however, hospitality is truly something evidenced throughout Scripture. In fact, one such story demonstrates hospitality being shown with great cost and great obedience.
A biblical pineapple, if you will. Turn with me to 1 Kings 17.

Here we find the prophet Elijah, hiding by a brook after declaring to King Ahab that a severe drought had been appointed by the Lord. The Lord had told him to go to there while also commanding ravens to bring him bread and meat.
Can you imagine that?!
Ravens, literally the birds of the air, were feeding Elijah!

Elijah had obeyed in informing King Ahab of the impending lack of water, then followed the leading of the Lord to hide. In the midst of all of that, the Lord provided his needs by commanding the birds of air. Elijah stayed at this “air bnb” site ordained by the Lord until the brook dried up. At that point, Elijah heard the Lord direct him to the next point of hospitality, our pineapple centerpiece.

Enter the widow of Zaraphath.
Have you read verses 8-16? Go ahead and read those if you haven’t yet, (just click the link!) and come join us back here.

Now, put yourself in the shoes of each character for a moment.
What might it have been like to be either of these people in this interaction?
Could you have spoken with the boldness of faith of Elijah?
Could you have served with the same sacrificial humility of the widow?

I find myself wrestling with both of these questions.
Could I?
Would I?

But as I ponder the Word, the more I see the steely resolve undergirding both individuals.
You know what that resolve is?

Obedience.

A continual “yes” to trusting that what the Lord has spoken will come to pass.
What He has promised will be fulfilled.
His very character and heart are to be trusted.

Elijah is walking into this conversation with some history that cannot be denied.
Remember that word given to King Ahab just a few verses earlier?
If I were Elijah, I would have planted myself by the water, watching it flow vivaciously, and begun to second guess if I’d heard the Lord correctly.
Who knows how long I would have sat there before I began realizing it hadn’t rained in some time or, on waking in the morning my clothes were not damp with dew. Even then I may have rationalized it was just not raining in my area.
But then the brook began to dry up, the water level quickly decreasing.
The water flow no longer lulled me to sleep.
My source of water began to disappear, which could only be caused by a lack of water upstream. My faith may have started out small, but unlike the brook, my faith level continued to rise.
The Lord was faithful to His Word.

It is with this prolonged confirmation Elijah left the now dry river bed and sought out the widow. He solidly knew that just as the Lord commanded ravens to feed him, so the Lord had commanded the widow to care for him.

Now, I don’t know what the widow’s exchange with the Lord included, but at some juncture she heard the Lord direct her to care for Elijah. Her faith astounds me as well.

The woman is literally collecting sticks to create a fire on which she will cook the last of the dough in the house when she is asked for a bite to eat.
How much did logic wage war with faith in her heart?

Was this her pineapple of hospitality?
Counting the cost of speeding up the starvation process in order to serve a perfect stranger?

As the Lord repeatedly demonstrates throughout Scripture, He delighted in multiplying what was needed.

Both Elijah and the widow received the reward of their faith and were sustained throughout the drought. The Lord ordained Elijah to be the mouthpiece declaring both the beginning and end of the drought.

What would have happened if the widow had declined her role in this story?

Hospitality may not always be convenient or comfortable, but, my dear sister, I pray that when you sense the nudge of the Lord to open your arms, your table, and your heart,
you count the cost and obey with all you’ve got.
The Lord rewards such faith, and that is sweeter than any pineapple!

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Open day 2 Unlikely Reach: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) How can I live at peace with everyone?

2) Why should I bless my enemy?

3) How can I pursue hospitality?

Romans 12:13-20

 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.
20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him
something to drink.
For in so doing you will be
heaping fiery coals on his head.

Original Intent

1) How can I live at peace with everyone?
The Bible contains many references to living a life of peace in both the Old and New Testaments.  The apostle Paul recognized peace as an essential element of the life and message of Jesus, who Himself is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)  Proverbs 12:20 tells us to “promote peace”, and Psalm 34:14 encourages us to “seek peace and pursue it”.  Hebrews 12:14 also admonishes Christians to make every effort to live in peace with one another and be holy. Peace is imperative to Father God.  Author John Piper points out that “God is a peace-loving God, and a peacemaking God. The whole history of redemption, climaxing in the death and resurrection of Jesus, is God’s strategy to bring about a just and lasting peace between rebel man and himself, and then between man and his fellow man.”  God encourages us to be at peace with others because it reflects the peace of a loving relationship between God and his children.  One reason He wants us to extend peace to others is because in so doing, we extend God’s love to others.

2) Why should I bless my enemy?
When the apostle Paul wrote in Romans12:14 for us to bless and not curse those who persecute us, he was echoing a common message from the Old Testament that we are to love and not hate our enemies.  The book of Proverbs tells us in 20:22, “Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the Lord, and he will rescue you.” In Romans 12:20, Paul even referenced Proverbs 25:21-22, “ If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” The editors of the Messianic Bible Project suggest the reference of heaping burning coals on your enemy’s head is “a metaphor for providing a fire for his basic survival needs.” (free.messianicbible.com.) Paul reminded His readers that, even though our human nature wants to get revenge on our enemies, the Lord would have us treat them kindly instead, loving them, and providing for them. God wants us to do more than just not repay evil for evil; He wants us to do the unexpected and love our enemies.

3) How can I pursue hospitality?
The word hospitality comes from the Greek word philonexia, which literally means “love of strangers or a friend of strangers and thus one who entertains strangers or demonstrates hospitality or kindness to strangers.” (Barclay, William.)   As the NIV Woman’s Study Bible points out, “For the people of the Bible, hospitality was not merely a matter of good manners but a necessity in the harsh desert regions.”  For early Christians, pursuing hospitality was more than having a family from church over for a meal, though it certainly was that as well.  It also included showing kindness to strangers and opening their homes to travelers and passersby in need of shelter and nourishment.  Paul, the author of the letter to the Romans, encouraged the Christ followers in Rome to share their homes and lives with strangers because it provided a good opportunity to share the Gospel, which Paul called the “power of God for salvation to everyone who believes….” (Romans 1:16) Paul viewed hospitality as a means of sharing the love of Jesus with those living in the community and those passing through the community.

Everyday Application

1) How can I live at peace with everyone?
There really is no way to live at peace with everyone, because some people just don’t want to make peace. The apostle Paul acknowledged this fact when he said, “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18)  By saying, “if possible,” he alluded to the reality that sometimes it is not possible to live at peace with some people.  His use of the phrase “as far as it depends on you” also recognizes that peace is a two-way street and you can only do your part.  But we, as believers, are expected to do exactly that. We are called to live in harmony with others, making every effort to do so as much as possible within our ability.  Peace lived out looks like not instigating fights, including mild fits of road rage and exasperation with rude, selfish people in the check-out line. We can live at peace by seeking out reconciliation and humbling ourselves rather than striving to be proved right, or arrogantly keep insisting we are right.  Of course, this isn’t something we can do without Divine help, but God graciously enables us to follow this exhortation as He gives us power through His Spirit.  He tells us in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.” In Philippians 4:7 He promises, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  His peace is already dwelling with us, and He will enable us to extend this same supernatural peace to others, even those we are in conflict with. I’m so grateful the Holy Spirit empowers us to do our part to live at peace with those around us!

2) Why should I bless my enemy
One day a friend of mine, who is a black man, and his family were out to dinner when a couple at a nearby table started making racist remarks about them.  My friend called the waitress over, but instead of complaining or asking for her intervention in some way, he asked if he could have their ticket so he could pay for their meal.  That is what I think of when I read the admonition of Romans 12:14 to bless those who persecute you and not curse them.  It is so easy and natural to come back at someone with equal malice when they say or do mean things, but it pleases the Lord when we intentionally choose love instead.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:43-44 to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors.  He goes on to say we do this to be like our Heavenly Father. Jesus asks a challenging question, “If you love only those who love you, what reward will you have?” (Matthew 5:46) Loving those who already love us well costs us nothing and doesn’t reflect Christ’s love. When we love the unlovely, those who reject and mock us, then we are loving like the God who sacrificed everything for us while we were His enemies. (Romans 5:8) When I remember His mercy and forgiveness to me, it is a little easier to love those I consider unlovable.

3) How can I pursue hospitality?
I know a few women who have what I would call the gift of hospitality.  They can make any room feel spacious, make any meal seem special, and make perfect strangers feel at ease as soon as they meet.  I am not one of those women!  But I can pursue hospitality even though I am not the hostess with the most-est.  I pursue hospitality by helping the mom with the screaming baby at the grocery store while she struggles with the grocery cart.  I pursue hospitality when I take the time to talk to the neighbors walking past my house.  Anytime I extend kindness to strangers or Christian friends, I am cultivating hospitality. When I extend myself in small, loving ways, it encourages me to open my heart and home in larger ways as well.  I like the way author Jen Schmidt describes hospitality in her book Just Open the Door: “Extending hospitality is about freely giving of ourselves while granting others the freedom to be themselves. Shifting our focus from us to them removes all unnecessary expectations.”  When I think of hospitality as another way of sharing the love of Jesus, it seems less daunting and more like a natural rhythm of life.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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