I was a stranger and you invited me in.
Have you ever heard the term “stranger-danger”? It’s mainly used to warn kids not to trust people they don’t know, to keep them safe.
This tendency to be wary of strangers usually persists into adulthood. For the most part, rightly so, because we do live in a world where evil people do a lot of bad things.
However, the Bible also tells us to welcome strangers:
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. – Matthew 25:35 NIV
In the story of the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, we see Jesus Himself, approaching two of His disciples as a stranger because they were kept from recognising Him (Luke 24:16).
What followed was a beautiful conversation and a deep discussion shared during a walk and over a meal. The disciples would later say to each other, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while He talked with us?” (Luke 24:32).
Just imagine what if they had dismissed this stranger who randomly joined them on the road? What if they had told Him that what they were discussing was too private? They would’ve missed out on this very intimate encounter with Jesus.
This story is a reminder that sometimes Jesus comes to us in unexpected and unfamiliar ways. As Christians, it can be tempting to only stick to what we know and exclusively surround ourselves with like-minded people, from the same cultural and denominational background.
But there is power in welcoming the stranger, and being receptive to what Jesus wants to reveal to you through them.
Remember this story the next time you meet someone with a personality type that is different from yours, different life experiences that have shaped them, a different ethnicity, a different opinion or perspective on an important topic, or even just a different life stage.
Can you be as receptive to Christ in them as those two despairing disciples were open and receptive to Jesus on the Emmaus road?
