Strangers

Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger? (Matthew 25:44)

We live in a mobile society. Our communities are constantly fluctuating as people we’ve known for years move away and are replaced with strangers. For some long-time residents, the passage of time can make you feel like a stranger in your own neighborhood. But these changes are actually opportunities provided by God.

Strangers at work and down the street—these individuals can bring improvements to your life. What skills do they have to share with the community? Everyone is a creation of God, uniquely gifted by the Lord to carry out a duty of His design. You’ll never find out what a newcomer can bring to the table if you don’t get to know him.

Even more importantly, each new face in town presents a fresh opportunity for the church. Sure, you can put money in the collection plate to support a missionary in some far away place. But that’s so antiseptic and impersonal. There is nothing more exciting than the opportunity to share your faith in Christ with someone who has never heard the Gospel before. When you meet a stranger, it is a golden opportunity for you to personally carry out the Great Commission: make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). In America, every community is a hodgepodge of many nations, all within convenient reach of your hands and voice.

No matter where you live or work, there are strangers all around you. What wonderful possibilities they present! Why should you be content with a small circle of old friends when your life could be enriched by adding someone new and interesting? Every stranger you meet offers such potential. And don’t forget that God tells us to reach out to strangers, because by loving them we show our love for Him: Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home…I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you were doing it to me!' (Matthew 25:34-40) And listen to what Hebrews chapter 13 tells us: Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Each stranger in your life is a potential blessing—don’t let a single one pass you by.