Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:2

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:38-40

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Another mundane day in the hospital passed by. Meds. Shower. Eat. Sleep. These ordinary activities filled my day, although time seems to drag when you’re sick and in pain. At the time, I was hospitalized for a Crohn’s flare-up. Everything made me feel sick and nauseous, so I lay there in the company of HGTV and nurses floating in and out of the room.

One day, while my mom kept me company, we had a new visitor at my door. A woman entered the room with a harp, asking if she could play for us. We welcomed her in, and melodic notes filled the room. Sweet-sounding chords replaced the hum of hospital machines and hallway chatter. For a moment, I was transported away from sickness and pain to a beautiful place of harmony.

Six years later, I don’t remember the woman’s name or the specific songs she played, but I remember the gift she gave me, the gift of escaping my hospital room, even for a little while, to a place filled with peace and beauty. I appreciate what that musician did for me and the other patients that day. She made time to come to the hospital and use her gift to bless sick strangers.

God calls us to use our gifts to bless others. I imagine playing the harp was pretty ordinary for this woman, but to me, it was extraordinary. Carving out the time (and maybe lugging a harp through a hospital) was the most difficult part. We have gifts God has given us, talents and abilities that come naturally—things that may seem ordinary to us but extraordinary to the person who needs them.

The harpist played for multiple patients that day. Some appreciated it. Some may not have, but she offered her gift to strangers regardless of how it would be received. I believe the musician showed hospitality to me—and Jesus. I can imagine Him sitting with me in the hospital bed, smiling ear to ear as one of His children encouraged a stranger who desperately needed it.

Next Steps

Spend time in prayer asking God who is in need in your realm of influence. How could you use something ordinary to you to bless that person?