A Growing Family...

I remember as a child, during one particular time in our family's history, my father had gotten a new job out of state, and my mother, sister and I had to remain behind to sell the house before we could move to the new city. As a matter of course, the house had to be spotless - and remain that way at all times - because we never knew when the realtor would call and want to show the house to some prospective buyers. Getting the house clean was not the problem for us kids. KEEPING it clean was! It always seemed more difficult to maintain that level of cleanliness after it was clean, because it always felt as though we didn't really live there. Nevertheless, at the drop of a hat, the house had to be ready for inspection by strangers.

When I was writing my final paper for the degree program at Perkins School of Theology, I came across a book that quintessentially defined for me the notion of what "Welcoming" meant. I hadn't thought about it for a long time, until my daughter Kaitlyn gave her sermon yesterday and mentioned it. While her sermon was absolutely wonderful (ok, I may be bragging just a little bit, but I'm allowed - I'm a dad!) it was that brief comment she gave concerning how we welcome people into the kingdom.

The question was asked, "What would be your level of preparation if you knew that someone was coming over to your house for a visit? Would you clean or tidy up the house? Would you put out the good guest towels in the bathrooms? Would you prepare a meal for your guests and serve it in the formal dining room? To what extent would you prepare for these visitors? Perhaps more importantly, what would your attitude be toward them? If you knew they were just coming over for a visit, would you go to great lengths to be hospitable to them? Would you secretly hope that their visit would not last long?"

The responses would be indicative of how we feel about our visitors to our homes. Sometimes they are truly welcomed, but there are occasions when their visits seem to be intrusions into our spaces. Not all visits are announced, and a few are surprises.

But what happens when that visitor comes home with your college-aged child, and has the potential to become a member of the family? Suddenly, getting the house ready takes on a different kind of meaning. Suddenly, the visitor has the potential to become more than a one-time intrusion into one's schedule. A relationship becomes not only possible, but absolutely essential.

Such is the case when a visitor comes to worship at God's house. The attitude changes, because we know that the possibility exists that this person may very well become part of the family. Even the term "visitor" suddenly becomes inaccurate; "honored guest" seems somehow more appropriate. We tend to treat visitors with a different tone than we do those who might become family, don't we? Radical hospitality has that kind of potential - the potential to make visitors into guests into family.

Next Sunday, when we take that time to greet one another after the Call To Worship and before the Opening Hymn, take a moment to look around you and see if there are any guests that may become family among us. Make a special effort to get around to them, and welcome them, not just to worship, but to the family of faith. And we can all watch our family grow...

See you in church!

Grace and peace,
Brad