Sit with a Stranger
You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:34 (ESV)
You meet someone. In your mind, how long are they considered a stranger? Can this even be measured? It is difficult to know the event that moves them from stranger to acquaintance and then finally friend. It must begin somewhere, a smile, nod, airplane assignment, no other seat available, or perhaps your choice.
If you want more excitement in your life, sit with a stranger at a church dinner. See where it goes. God loves all His children, so we are all equal in His eyes. But how about our own eyes?
We are so quick to judge. Observing clothing, ethnicity, age, and various other attributes, we make hasty decisions. Would it not make more sense to use our ears instead of our eyes during those first impressionable moments? What they say about life is more informative than any hair shade, clothing style or skin color. We often feel inhibited (less than) by letters after a person’s name. We are blinded by ___________ (You fill in the blank). Why?
I have asked lots of questions but I want us to think on these things with more than superficial perusing. For most of us, it’s unsettling to choose the seat next to a complete stranger because it puts our social and spiritual skills to the test. What are our thoughts when forced into a situation like this? Most of us tend to put up an invisible wall of self-preservation as we approach.
Nothing happens by accident in this world. God knows exactly what He is doing by leaving that seat empty for us. Maybe our first thought should be “Thank You, Father, for allowing me the opportunity to share Your love with someone new. Please give me the right words to say.”
Look for the stranger the next time there is a church dinner or any kind of meeting. Remember, they feel the same awkwardness we experience. This is how the early Christians spread the word about Jesus Christ; they travelled, ate, and talked with strangers.
Believe me, there will always be something to talk about!
Loving Father, thank You for not being a stranger to us. You have wrapped us securely in Your love and we are grateful. Now, give us courage to share it. AMEN.