By: Chef Tamago
Hebrews 13:1-2 – Let brotherly love continue. Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.
Jesus relied on the image of a stranger in poignant ways in the Gospels. The separating of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 and the admonition in Hebrews 13:2 give strong messages as to the treatment the Christian is to give to those around us who are displaced. It is notable to me that the author of Hebrews does not say specifically, “welcome the stranger into your home,” though I am sure it was implied. Hospitality, though, is not limited to the receiving into one’s home, but receiving another person in general. We are not exempt from showing this kind of receptivity just because we, too, are displaced. The follower of Christ is always both a pilgrim and at home themselves, our permanent dwelling place is “there and then” in the heavenly promise, as well as “here and now” in a kingdom promise. We are never at home here, yet always at home in our present place. In this we have the advantage over other visitors on foreign soil. There is not the anticipation to make it “home” with any kind of permanency, we are never to fit in for that would be conforming to the world. The call to be light in the darkness is the same to us if we are on “home” soil or foreign, or whether we have a home at all. It is an amazing gift of God that we can be hosting others even in their own homes, simply by carrying with us the love of Christ.
One of the interesting observations I have made when traveling through Japan was the lack of receptivity most western men have toward other western men. Some of it is cultural, some adopted, some psychological, I feel. This shows itself by the unwillingness to greet another when traveling about the country. Men have, by nature, a fairly competitive nature, and this is one way it manifests itself. However, we also live in a time where loneliness is at an all-time high, and the need for community is ever present. This gives us, as Christians, an opportunity to minister to the needs of the expat community in a unique way. We are never called to compete, in fact the reminders to be unified with other Christians is profoundly abundant in the New Testament. Since this is to be the case, we have the ability through the Holy Spirit to reach out to the stranger, to host them, even though we are both on foreign soil.
Pragmatically speaking, Japan offers a wide variety of opportunities and venues to do this. Since so many missionaries have store front gatherings, there is rarely even a church building to scare off the stranger. Additionally, though, the abundance of coffee shops and restaurants, club activities, and special interest group meetings gives so many opportunities to connect. As one who has been itinerant in Japan for many years, not having my own place to invite someone to, I have had to be creative in these ways. For the most part, I have been on the receiving end of invitations, which I consider both a joy and a spiritual benefit. The Christian should have the freedom, since they are not a citizen of this world, to find ways to host whomever God has sent their way. Since there is a profound need and opportunity to minister to the expat community, it might be wise to include in your mission plan specific and occasional outreach targeted toward other foreigners.
A dear missionary couple I knew years ago came to Japan with the intention of ministering to the Japanese people, but also in a bilingual church service. Before long, they realized they were given opportunity to connect with a unique people group here, a group that was underprivileged in opportunity back in their homeland. So, instead of focusing their greatest efforts toward the Japanese, they found themselves serving the Kachin people of Myanmar, teaching them office and typing skills on second-hand computers. They not only were able to share the Gospel but also equipped these marginalized people with a skill that would serve them to get better jobs when they returned.
If we limit ourselves to our own presumed target group, we may well miss opportunities ordained by God. If, however, we are open to the stranger of any race, God will be honored. He has called us to go and make disciples of all nations, not limited by situation or our own plans. Open hearts create open opportunities.