In the age of fear from sexual pedophiles, druggies, and religious extremists, we keep our doors shut. We don’t let our kids play in the street unless they are supervised by an adult or we know who they are playing with. We are hesitant to open the door to strangers. We like our fences, security systems, and automatic locking cars. We are running scared.
The problem with fear is not merely that it leads to a series of lock-downs and overreactions that can be an annoyance, but rather that it also makes us distrustful of all those around us. In our lack of trust, we fail to extend hospitality.
When I was younger my dad used to tell us that we should always be welcoming to new people in our home, but I never thought much of it. One day he pulled over the Dodge Van we were carted around in to invite a complete stranger to sit in the front seat. This man had terribly crooked teeth, unkempt hair, and looked as though he had not washed in a few weeks. My dad had seen him in some of the grocery stores nearby and had stuck up conversation with him, but he was not someone that myself and my siblings knew or were comfortable with.
That man came home with us that day and enjoyed a warm dinner in our house. After the meal my dad played a few board games with him, engaging him in conversation and trying to make him feel at home. The man was transported back to the spot he camped out at, but I never forgot the hospitality my father showed that day.
My point in all this is that most people would never pull over to the side of the road to invite a lonesome, underfed stranger into their home. If we were willing to trust others more and reach out in genuine hospitality to others, we may be able to reduce incidents of depression, suicide rates, and increase the general quality of living of those around us.
You have heard it said, “do unto others as you would have them do to you,” but which of us is actually doing so?
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