About a week later, I ran out one evening to grab some groceries and drove back home to something unusual. It was a package inside the garage again, but this time in my parking spot. I knew I had not left the door open because I had checked that it fully closed as I pulled out of the driveway. I immediately thought of the incident the week earlier with the package I found inside the garage.
I decided to do some research. You probably already know about this, but there is something called Amazon Key. When a driver arrives to deliver your order, they can scan your package and request a one-time access inside your garage. The program verifies the package and the driver’s location and then opens the garage door for the delivery driver to place the package inside your garage. After the delivery, they hit a button in the app and the garage door closes.
Supposedly, it does not work with all garage door openers but requires a smart controller. It all began to make sense.
Our garage door opener broke recently, and we had to install a new opener. I didn’t realize it had a few extra bells and whistles that would allow delivery drivers to scan a box and open our door. I had never heard of such a thing. Yet here we were giving people the welcomed invitation to come on in, even if we weren’t home! I wonder what I would have done if I walked out into the garage the very moment a stranger was walking in without knowing what I know now about our special garage door opener? I am sure I would have been startled, and I am certain I would have screamed in shock! What about you?
It’s not that the delivery drivers were doing anything wrong, or that they were even trespassing! In fact, they had a special delivery that I requested! They had blessings to deliver, yet I was unaware and oblivious to what was happening.
I couldn’t help but think of Hebrews 13:2 (ESV). I grabbed my Bible and looked up the verse that reads, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Certainly, in this circumstance, it wasn’t that I was being hospitable, but my door was ready to open at a push of a button!
This all transpired unintentionally, but it made me think about God’s Word and question, When was the last time I have been intentional about inviting guests into our home to share a meal or conversation? Hebrews 13:2 challenges us to not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. I have been neglectful recently. Have you? I have not had guests over for some time due to our crazy, on-the-go schedules. In fact, I have been so busy that I have even been unaware of people in my home while I was home!
Did you know, there are examples in the Bible in the Old Testament regarding welcoming strangers that turned out to be angels? We can read about it in Genesis 18:1-8. Abraham didn’t realize it, but three strangers showed up at his tent who happened to be the Lord and two angels with Him!
A similar situation happened with Lot in Genesis 19. Lot showed welcoming hospitality to two men whom he did not know who came to his city. He didn’t realize it, but they were angels that would rescue him from destruction hours later.
We never know who God is going to bring our way. Who is it in your path that you can intentionally show hospitality to? Let’s be people who practice hospitality and not neglect it! As you host and bless others, the Lord may also have blessings for you! Let me encourage you to pray and ask God to put people directly in your path! Get to know someone new in the coming weeks and practice your hospitality skills! I will do the same! The Lord may have something special packaged for us!
How can you make Monumental Moments and live to multiply His movement today?
