“Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you.  They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God…  We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.” -3 John 1:5-7

“Stranger Danger” is something we attempt to teach our children.  Our daughter, Vivienne, has always been hesitant to meet new people or try new things.  Possibly due to the childhood trauma of abandonment, or it might just be her personality to be cautious.  Our son, Paul, on the other hand has yet to meet a stranger.  He is very much like my father and both grandfathers.  He comes from a long line of men who were gregarious and engaging, always eager to make a new friend.  The lesson I try to teach both our children is to be careful, and also friendly.

The other day I was shopping at Costco and with the new rules of wearing masks, it is difficult to read people’s faces and reactions.  The woman at the exit door had a bright yellow mask with a big smile embroidered on it.  It was wonderful!  I told her how much I liked her mask and how difficult it is not to see people smile or be able to smile at them through my mask.  She said she was just trying to bring a little sunshine into people’s lives.  I appreciated that so much!  Maybe I should take a sharpie marker to one of my masks and put a big smile on there!  

How we greet and treat strangers is important.  It is one of the marks of Matthew 25 that Jesus taught his followers.  John also applauded the church in the short letter of 3 John for being generous and kind to the strangers who came their way.  When we show hospitality to such people we are working together for the truth.  In the past few weeks we have seen people being kind to strangers and others being cruel to them.  The chasing down and senseless murder of Ahmaud Arbery is a terrible example of judging strangers without getting to know anything about them.  

We should be careful when welcoming strangers, and work for truth and righteousness, but we should always be generous and friendly.  This Sunday, Rev. Robert Schmidtt will preach about welcoming strangers.  He works with SIGN FractureCare and has an incredible ministry caring for people all over the world.  I hope you will join us for online worship this week.   

Lord, thank you for opportunities to welcome strangers.  Help us to be gentle, generous and kind to others.  Give us grace to extend to people we don’t yet know.  Thank you for the ways we can welcome strangers in our midst.  Forgive us for judging others without getting to know them.  Help us to see beyond our differences and connect with the truth that we are all one, human family.  Give us generous hearts and openness to make a new friend.  Amen.