"Do not turn your back on your own"

A site called hurricanehousing.org is working to match hurricane victims with people who offer spare rooms, guest houses, trailers or tent space to shelter the refugees.

I thought I was doing an okay job of living Matthew 25 until I observed my reaction at the idea of inviting a stranger who'd just lost everything into my home.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

It's easy to say that this parable was told in a time when life was simpler, but think about it. The risks for a disciple of Jesus in welcoming a stranger are no different from our own. Our homes have a greater variety of possessions than Martha and Mary's, but the fear of theft is the same. The fear of violence is the same, and other parables tell of hospitality betrayed by violence to the host, showing that the fear is justified.

If Christians took their God's word seriously, soon every hurricane survivor would have a bed.

"Thus says the LORD: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when
you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn . . . "--Isaiah 58