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It was simply too sizzling hot for us to remain indoors, so a couple friends and I decided to go on a little outing. They quickly suggested taking me to a small village where there was a cave that was used as a church dating back to the third century—a site considered to be among the oldest churches in the world. They explained the church was believed to have sheltered the early Christians, among whom were 70 disciples of Messiah Jesus. I immediately accepted.
Our ride was quite pleasant and as we approached the quaint village, the landscape started to change with more sheep and shepherds. Finally, we reached the church-cave, we marveled at the history, took some pictures and then decided to go up a little hill, not only to bask in the sun but to pray for the village and its people. We had barely started praying when two boys and a girl, not older than 9 years old, were walking up the hill to meet us. They were holding 3 cups and thermos filled with coffee. They greeted us, welcomed us in their village, served us coffee and as they smiled without uttering any additional words, they stood there waiting for us to finish drinking. They never asked anything of us—they simply welcomed us in a kind and peaceful way and kept smiling.
In the Middle East, coffee is a symbol of hospitality. Coffee is not only served at engagements, parties, weddings, funerals, and social events, but most definitely to guests who visit your home. In that moment, we were deeply touched. We felt loved, welcomed and certainly humbled that those 3 kids would come up a hill just to meet us, welcome us, and serve us coffee. As we received them, Jesus’s words from Matthew 10:42 came to mind: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
We read passages of Scripture, we preach how important it is to live what we preach, but oh how much more beautiful it is to actively do what we learn and preach. That day, those 3 kids offered us much more than a cup of coffee, they actively demonstrated to us hospitality in a way that none of us would ever forget.
People are usually hospitable, but every once in a while, our experience is not very conducive. Was there ever a time in your life when you experienced negative hospitality? What happened and did that influence you in any way in how you receive people?
I left home at the age of 17 years old to become an International Student. It was meant to be for only a year, but God planned it otherwise. I remained over two decades. My first year, I lived with a host family and then many years following, I lived with different families who would receive me in their homes over the weekends, over the holidays, over the summer. Overall, I was always very well received and the experience was very positive.
A couple of negative experiences have impacted me however and influenced the way I receive hosts in my own home. On one occasion, I was received by a couple who made me understand they didn’t have any food at home and I would then have to eat out. It was not so much what was said, but how it was said that hurt. Nonetheless, I had no problem eating out because I had a lot of cash and a credit card, but that day I felt embarrassed and although I know she didn’t intend to do me any harm, it offended me and I felt I was imposing on them, although I was there for just a couple of days. To make matters worse, later on, in the evening when I return to their house. They were not home and I had to remain outside until 1am for them to return from the casino.
That experience impacted greatly in the sense that deep within I vowed to myself that I would never do this to any of my guests. When I receive guests in my home, I tend to over purchase food. I make sure they are overfed. I also make sure they are welcome to everything I have in my fridge and cupboard. If I so happen to have everything at home I make sure I take them out to eat and that they are well fed before going to bed. Doing this doesn’t make me a perfect host, but it helps me to practice doing unto others what I wish they did unto me and it teaches me to share what I have and consider others above myself.