As I sit here this morning with a fresh cup of coffee (Hazelnut Cream), God and I are talking about “strangers.” No, we aren’t gossiping about strange people with strange behaviors, but rather dialoguing about strangers. You may recall that Jesus spoke about strangers in Matthew 25. As a Christian, I want to hear Jesus say, “I was a stranger, and you took me in” (Matthew 25:35c). Knowing that we sometimes entertain angels unaware and more often Christ unaware, I simply want to know what a stranger looks like so I can meet this expectation. With one hundred people groups in our city, it sure would be nice if I you and I knew what a stranger looked like so we could take them in and please Christ.
Hebrews 13:2 teaches us to “to entertain strangers for his sake.” Scripture is full of references about “strangers.” We are to show strangers love and hospitality, providing room for them in our hearts and even in our homes. God says there is a common love that we as Christians owe to all people, but there is a special love owed to our brothers and sisters in Christ who are of the “household of faith.” After all, Christians are a strange and peculiar people. This special “agape” love is a generous love that causes believers of wealth, even limited wealth, to give generously to brothers and sisters in need. In fact, this special love demands that we are to seek our opportunity to show mercy.
As a seminary President, I see students struggle to prepare to serve God in area churches. Some of these students come as strangers to our country, leaving behind family and friends, to study to preach and teach the wonderful Gospel of Christ. Many students live in poverty and a few are even classified as homeless. As I travel throughout Charlotte among some of the most blessed people on our planet, my heart breaks for these men and women who need basic necessities of life as they prepare to be tomorrow’s leaders in our churches. If you want to please Jesus and you are wondering what “strangers” look like, email me at egrigg@nlts.edu and I will show you a “stranger” that is a believer, and explain how you can adopt a student and help them prepare to serve in our Lord’s Kingdom, or how you can give to the Christian Vocation Scholarship that helps to support most of our “strangers” as they are equipped to change the world for all eternity!
Remember, life is better if you take time to have Coffee with God!
Hebrews 13:2 teaches us to “to entertain strangers for his sake.” Scripture is full of references about “strangers.” We are to show strangers love and hospitality, providing room for them in our hearts and even in our homes. God says there is a common love that we as Christians owe to all people, but there is a special love owed to our brothers and sisters in Christ who are of the “household of faith.” After all, Christians are a strange and peculiar people. This special “agape” love is a generous love that causes believers of wealth, even limited wealth, to give generously to brothers and sisters in need. In fact, this special love demands that we are to seek our opportunity to show mercy.
As a seminary President, I see students struggle to prepare to serve God in area churches. Some of these students come as strangers to our country, leaving behind family and friends, to study to preach and teach the wonderful Gospel of Christ. Many students live in poverty and a few are even classified as homeless. As I travel throughout Charlotte among some of the most blessed people on our planet, my heart breaks for these men and women who need basic necessities of life as they prepare to be tomorrow’s leaders in our churches. If you want to please Jesus and you are wondering what “strangers” look like, email me at egrigg@nlts.edu and I will show you a “stranger” that is a believer, and explain how you can adopt a student and help them prepare to serve in our Lord’s Kingdom, or how you can give to the Christian Vocation Scholarship that helps to support most of our “strangers” as they are equipped to change the world for all eternity!
Remember, life is better if you take time to have Coffee with God!
