Hospitality: Abraham, Lot and Sodom

In Genesis 18, we find Abraham cooling off during the heat of the day at the door of his tent. Three men approached. He ran and out to meet them and bowed before them and implored them to stay and visit. He washed their feet, he had Sarah (his wife) make cakes, he had a servant prepare a freshly killed calf and offered his guests, curds, milk and beef.

In Genesis 19, we find Lot sitting at the gates to the city. He sees two of the same three men. He didn’t run to greet them like Abraham had done but he did bow down before them and invited them into his home. They entered his home and he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread (not cakes) for them.

Further on in Genesis 19 we find the “hospitality” of Sodom. When the men found out the city had visitors they tried to forcibly gang rape them.

What a huge extreme in hospitality between Abraham and the citizens of Sodom.

I suppose if you had to say… even though Lot demonstrated remarkable hospitality, Abraham illustrated the highest level of hospitality. The Sodomites were killed for their inhospitality.

How about today? What if some strangers approached you, what would your level of hospitality be? If you saw them coming from afar off would you run and turn out all the lights and pretend not to be home? If they knocked on the door would you say, this is not the best time? Would you think, my house is a mess and I have a headache come back another day please?

Sometimes we can plan hospitality and sometimes it’s a spontaneous event… you don’t get advanced notice. Have a hospitable heart and prepare for those events that come out of nowhere. God does test his people.