Serving Soup to Jesus

Written by stacy

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By Marilyn Ehle

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mathew 25:40).

After leaving the home of His childhood and the companionship of His family, we have no record of Jesus having a home of His own. In fact, while explaining the cost of following Him, He said, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

And yet we know of one home where He loved to visit, where He felt free to “drop in” unannounced, and where He deeply loved His hosts. It was in this home that He sought quiet refuge just days before His trial and death.

After Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem upon a young donkey, His disciple Matthew records, “He…went out of the city to Bethany where He spent the night.” Did Martha, Mary and Lazarus talk quietly that night with their precious Jesus, guessing that this may be their last visit with Him before the horror to come? Did Martha have hot soup and warm bread for the family supper?

What welcome would you have given Jesus? What food would you have prepared? He no longer walks physically among us, but He boldly taught that we can serve Him just as did His Bethany hosts: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.”

Hospitality can call up visions of elaborate meals or richly furnished guest quarters, but Jesus said we can be Bethany hosts whenever we serve others with an attitude of humility and joy, whenever we make our homes, whether large or small, places of refuge for those who need comfort. Why not use this Holy Week to invite “the brothers of Jesus” into your home and thus experience the presence of God?

~ Lord Jesus, open my eyes to those around me who need the comfort of my home. May I be generous in my hospitality and loving in my care.

Questions to Ponder and Discuss: 1. Why do you think hospitality is such a scary word to many women? 2. How can you build simple hospitality into your life in the next few weeks?

Easter Recipe: Empty-tomb buns
http://www.christianwomentoday.com/home/etbuns.html

About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/authors/marilyn-ehle/

One Response to “Serving Soup to Jesus”

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Chris says:

April 1, 2007 at 5:42 am

I do try to treat all people as I would want to be treated. I am around the poor and homeless most of the week, because I am one of the poor in this city and go to the places that everyother poor or homeless person goes to, to eat and socialize. I do try to treat everyone the same though there are some whom would take advange of someone who does this.
I have had a few people really use me. one person in mind is the daughter of a friend who passed away last oct. This 28 year old refuses to leave her apartment, expects everyone else to do everything for her from picking up food for her to her doctors coming to her to check her over. all the people who i know that have had dealing with this young woman are sick and tired of the way she treats all of us and don’t want anything more to do with her. she has even had to be told that if she has a bath she will recieve a pack of smokes. otherwise she doesnot bathe at all. she is going to end up being cut of welfare and out on the street if she doesn’t straighten up her act, but she refuses to listen to anything we try to tell her.
I love this young woman with all my heart, but at this point all i can do for her is pray that she becomes less selfish and starts doing things for herself. she is one that knows the bible from beginning to end but thinks it doesn’t aply to her.