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Hospedaron ángeles...  Entertained angels...

5/2/2016

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“Y no se olviden de practicar la hospitalidad, pues gracias a ella algunos, sin saberlo, hospedaron ángeles.” Heb 13:2

“Sin saberlo” puede significar “sin anticiparlo”.

El 24 de abril de 2016 fue un domingo especial. La transición al pastor nuevo para la congregación en Alamos se había iniciado hacía más de dos años. Al acercarnos al final del proceso, comenzamos a planear un día de celebración y acción de gracias.

Creía que sería bueno compartir el momento con mi pastor y su esposa y con un par de amigos pastores también. Fue un placer estar con ellos. Fueron una bendición para todos. Sabía que así sería. Son buena gente. Según yo, no les habia invitado “sin saberlo”.

Sin embargo, sin saberlo, “hospedamos ángeles”… en el sentido de que nos bendijeron más allá de lo que soñábamos… más allá de lo que ellos mismos pudieran haber inventado. Dios, en su infinita generosidad y gracia, se encontró con nosotros como solo El pudo haberlo hecho.

Lo padre fue que todo el mundo lo reconocía mientras se desenvolvía. Yo hablé brevemente, luego Jorge y su familia, luego Darrell, Carla, Larry, Ron. Cada segmento completo en sí… y a la vez formaba parte de una totalidad hermosa.

Además, mira todo lo bueno que sucedió alrededor del momento especial: un excelente tiempo de comer y convivir después del servicio, personas que abrieron sus casas para hospedaje o para una comida, creando así espacios para un tipo de compañerismo más íntimo. Es difícil saber quiénes salieron más bendecidos: los anfitriones o las visitas. Parece que todos salimos con los ánimos levantados.

Si quieres sentirte feliz y bendecido, practica la hospitalidad para el bien del Evangelio… sea para un estudio bíblico, una comida, un evento especial, testificar a un amigo, u ofrecer hospedaje a pastores que estén de visita. Puedes intentar sacar la cuenta de cuánto y cómo serás bendecido. Pero, es hasta que practiques este tipo de hospitalidad que experimentarás una abundancia de bendiciones del tipo “sin saberlo”… las que no anticipabas.

No solamente darás las gracias. Las darás con asombro y reverencia y puro gozo.

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2)

“Unawares” can mean “unwittingly”.

April 24, 2016 was a special Sunday. The transition to the new pastor for the Alamos church had been in play for over two years. As we neared the end of that process we started planning a day of celebration and thanksgiving.

I thought it would be a good moment to share with my pastor and his wife and a couple of other pastor friends as well. They were a pleasure to be with. They were a blessing to everyone. I knew they would be. They are wonderful people. As far as I knew, my invitation was not made “unawares”.

And yet, we unwittingly “entertained angels” in the sense that they blessed us beyond what we dreamt they would… beyond what they could have conjured up themselves. God, in His infinite generosity and grace, met with us in ways that only He could have.

The cool thing was that everyone in the room recognized it while it was unfolding. I spoke briefly, then Jorge and his family, then Darrell, Carla, Larry, Ron. Each segment stood alone, yet each formed part of a beautiful whole. 

On top of that, look at all of the good things that happened around that special moment: the great meal and fellowship after the service, people opened their homes for a meal or lodging, creating spaces for a more intimate kind of fellowship. It is hard to tell who got blessed more: the hosts or the visitors. It seems like everybody came away uplifted.

If you want to get happy and be blessed, try practicing hospitality for the Gospel’s sake... whether it be for a Bible study, a meal, a special event, witnessing to a friend or providing lodging for guest pastors. You can try to calculate what blessings might be headed your way. But until you actually practice that kind of hospitality, you will not get to experience the wealth of blessings that you “unwittingly” open the door to.

You won’t just say “thank you”. You will say “thank you” with awe and reverence and pure joy.

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    Greg Smith

    Greg grew up in Menomonee Falls, WI. His ministry began in 1976: 5 years in Central America, 36 in Mexico. His passion is church planting and discipleship.
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    Greg enjoys being married to Carol Ahola-Smith. Both have been missionaries (Japan and Mexico); both watched their first spouses precede them in death.
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