III John is a small epistle, one chapter, fourteen verses. In my personal journals, I have called it the "hospitality chapter". Easily one-third of it commends hospitality, followed by three or four verses describing how ambition is a force behind the lack of hospitality. "Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence...receiveth us not...neither doth he himself receive the brethren..."
The need for preeminence is always to be found behind the mentality that says, "Let someone else do the hospitality end of things." After all, at the very least, it puts our desire for ease and convenience as "preeminent" over and above the command of God to practice hospitality.
Tucked into the verses of III John, is the best definition of hospitality that I have found. I am sure this is written in a book somewhere, or has been taught by someone, but I have not read it or heard it.
..."whom, if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well."
To bring someone forward on their journey. The Godly-sort of journey. Sometimes pie and coffee and conversation are all that is necessary to bring someone forward. A night's stay and a good breakfast, followed by a brief prayer of blessing may be what another needs to bring them forward. Still yet, someone else might need a few hours of conversation, up into the night - long, laborsome, and patient dialogue in a safe place. And the result of all those hours of pouring out, may be but a half-step forward. So be it. Just bring 'em forward.
Then, there are the few, close friends, whose needs are simple: music and laughter. Please, just sit and play the guitar, sing a few songs, and let's laugh till we can't breathe. And they leave our home having been brought forward a country mile! Matter of fact, we all moved forward on this visit.
Come in! (Call first, if you can, so I can put the coffee on...) My prayer, till the day I leave this earth, will be that the time you spend here with me will somehow bring you forward in your Godly-sort of journey.
3 comments:
Love this teaching, Sheila. Your desire is mine, too. I'm asking God for forgiveness for all the times in my life that it's been 'all about me' and not the very easy, simple, beautiful 'offerings' i could have made in His name to those who needed me to help 'bring them forward'. [Of course, hearing Fernando's beautiful 'Give Me Jesus' in the background has the tears rolling, along with the conviction of your post! :o)))]
[And on another note [literally], where might i go to find those rousing renditions of Rocky Top that were playing a couple of days ago? I wanted to play them for Pat so we could clap, slap and yell here in Faith, and maybe finally learn all the words to one of our favorite school songs! :o) ]
The road to a friend's house is never long.
-Danish proverb
It has always been a great joy and encouragement to me, to be able to go and simply spend time with your family. Thank you so much for bringing me forward.
johnathan, you are one of the sweetest, quietest, most gracious guests we've ever had. Our front door is forever open to you, my friend! Thank you for all you do for our family...(thinking of how you have tutored Pickle, and how you spend time w/ Josiah...)
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