Day 36

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Matthew 25:35

Many people in this world feel like they are strangers. We may experience this feeling if we are in situations where we have no genuine connections with other people. This sense of disconnect can happen in our places of work, our church communities, and even our homes.

Significantly, Jesus and the New Testament writers emphasize welcoming the stranger. The writer of Hebrews maintains that when we show hospitality to strangers, we may entertain angels unaware. (See Hebrews 13:2.) Not only are we encouraged to make strangers around us feel at home, but we also are reminded that Christ comes close to us when we do.

Welcoming strangers is a basic component of discipleship.

Acknowledging this make us more aware both of the strangers around us and also motivates us to reach out and welcome them.

Daily Practice

As you go through the day, look for a stranger in your midst—a new colleague at work, a visitor at church, the person who has moved in down the road. Take the initiative to say hello, reach out with an extended hand, and take an interest in this person.