Entertain the Angels

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.

Hebrews 13:1–3 (ESV)

Let us not be so jaded by our own well-being that we become blind to the sufferings of those around us. It is not only good for us to show kindness to those who are facing unseen hardships, it is necessary. I am reminded of the word sonder. It is a strange and obscure word that not even my text editor recognizes, but Merriam-Webster recognizes it and defines it as such: the realization and understanding that all other people have lives as complex as one's own.

Think for a moment of all the complexities that have led to your current state of emotions. What is the "big thing" troubling you right now? What inconveniences have plighted you today? Think of ten people who mean the most to you, and your special connection you have with them. How do their lives interact with yours in a way that their troubles affect your life in some manner? I'll stop you here, because you can go on for hours thinking about just how complex your life is.

The next time you see a stranger, remember that their life is just as complex as your own. When a stranger is rude, remember that they may be dealing with an issue that has caused you to be inconsiderate in the past. When someone seems downcast, recall the dark moments of your life that have caused you to feel without hope. In all of these circumstances, remember that what you needed in those moments was hospitality—kindness, gentleness, alms.

When you show this seemingly "undeserved" mercy to a stranger, you echo the mercies that have been shown to you. Unseen angels were entertained and rejoiced in God's providence as you were shown grace, and now you have opportunity to entertain angels of your own. Remember those facing loneliness and desertion, whether in a prison of the state or a prison of sorrow within their own home. Your light is what these pilgrims need in their path of sorrow and affliction.

Non Nobis Nati