“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. You should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” -1 Peter 4:8-10
I recently celebrated another birthday. It was a wonderful day of celebration. It was also a time to reflect back on the blessings of my life. While talking with my family that day, we discussed one of my birthday memories from my childhood. From this story, I began to learn the importance of hospitality and caring for others.
Growing up in Lawton, Oklahoma, there was really only one place kids wanted to celebrate their birthdays. We had a great Chuck E. Cheese! It was huge! There were multiple rooms for eating. We all enjoyed the large room with video games and other arcade-style machines, but perhaps the best place in our Chuck E. Cheese was the large playroom. This room was filled with rope swings, a large ball pit, and multiple climbing toys. We spent so much time in this room. It was really a place where “a kid could be a kid.”
We had my 10th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. My friends and family had gathered. We were excited to run to the large playroom. You had to crawl through a large mouse hole to enter this special room. Once inside, you removed your shoes. We had made our way into the room, and I was just about to take my shoes off when something happened that broke my heart.
You see, I was much taller than all my friends. I apparently looked out of place to one of the staff as we entered the room. He reached down to get my attention and told me I had to leave because I was too old to be in the playroom. All I could do was try to hold back my tears as I crawled back through that hole in the wall. I did what any big, strong, 10-year-old boy would do…I ran and found my mommy.
It only took my mom a few moments and some well-chosen words to secure my entrance into the playroom. I was quickly back to playing with my friends. We had a great time, but the sting of that moment stuck with me that day. It hurt to be shut out.
Our God is a God who welcomes all his children. God offers Himself fully so that all will know the welcome of His love and grace. One of the most powerful aspects of God’s love is that God seeks us out to invite us into the family of faith fully. (Luke 19:10 and 1 John 4:19) God loves us. He never looks at us and says, “You don’t belong here. You are out of place.” God loves us. God pursues us.
After another birthday and some critical reflection, I am thankful for the love and hospitality of our God. I am reminded of what is important. God first loved us, and our actions should reflect this great love. Let us invite our neighbors, friends, family, co-workers and all to come and experience the great love of God for themselves. This is who our God is and what our God calls us to do.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
