Something Vital Geeks Often Forget (In Search Of Truth, Hebrews 13:1-3)

Hebrews 13:1-3(ESV)
1.Let brotherly love continue. 2.Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3.Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.


The author of Hebrews has been encouraging us to fully engage and persevere in the life-long "race of faith". He is now going into some detail about what should be true of us as we trust Yahweh enough to obey him and do life his way.

v. 1

"Brotherly love" is "philadelphia" in the Greek, and refers to the "family love" that Christians experience when we view each other and our relationships rightly. The original readers were commanded to "continue" in this, but I question whether I've even started in this kind of love within my community of believers.

There are a few people in the college group I serve in that I would use "philadelphia" when describing my relationships with them. People who have become regular parts of our homes and lives that feel a bit like younger siblings. But generally speaking I don't literally feel like most people I talk with or serve with in my church are brothers and sisters. I can "spiritualize" that or treat it metaphorically to give myself a pass. But "philadelphia" wasn't some lofty metaphor in the time this letter was written.

Our fellow Christians are more our siblings than our blood relatives are. But calling them "brothers" and "sisters" doesn't make our actual love for them more genuine. If you have siblings that you love, then you know that it sometimes (maybe MOST of the time) takes effort to love them. Families are all dysfunctional to varying degrees. And to function as families we have to work through that dysfunction and find common ground. And in increasingly healthy families we find deep, transparent relationship, genuinely developed affection, and loyalty. I think that's what we're being told to pursue with other believers in the author's use of the word "philadelphia".

v. 2

"Hospitality to strangers", in the historical context of the book of Hebrews, referred to helping travelers passing near the readers' homes. On long journeys it was the understood custom in the middle east that travellers should be given food and shelter for the night before continuing their journey in the morning. The Greek word for "neglect" suggests that the original readers of Hebrews were not consciously rejecting travellers, but were "forgetting" to offer them help. The implication made when referencing angels is that unique blessings may result from providing this kind of help.

The context implies this (and the verses that follow) to be an outworking of "brotherly love". So this command likely would have applied specifically to providing hospitality for other believers travelling through the area. Unless a missionary or ministry worker of some kind is visiting your church, you may not often have the opportunity to provide this kind of help. But in place of that kind of opportunity, we can take action to tangibly help and support those believers who travel to do ministry, such as missionaries or public speakers. Brothers and sisters who go out on a limb, leaving behind the stability of their homes.

v.3

"Those in prison" and "those who are mistreated" contextually seems to refer to believers who are imprisoned or otherwise mistreated because of their choice to follow Jesus. Today I see this as a call for us in the west to gain a global perspective and be mindful of those elsewhere who are inflicted with more than bad public opinion because of their faith.

According to opendoorsusa.org, each month 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed and 722 forms of violence are committed against Christians, including beatings, abductions, rapes arrests and forced marriages. The site adds that "according to the United States Department of State, Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ."

I'm not saying we don't face persecution here in the west. When we see it happening around us we need to be there, caring for each other. But persecution that is much closer (or identical to) the persecution referred to in scripture is still happening, largely out of view of those of us wealthy enough to have Internet access. It's good for us to remember that, and be moved to pray or take other action for these sisters and brothers that suffer far away and forgotten.


SO WHAT'S IN THIS FOR GEEKS?

A common thread in these three verses is "thinking outside of ourselves". Did you notice how the Greek word for "neglect" has to do with being forgetful and the first word of verse 3 is "remember"? These passages aren't calling us to feel guilty because we live luxuriously by comparison while other Christians suffer or endure hardship. They are calling us to remember and even take action for other Christians in need.

I can be plenty selfish and feel plenty entitled. But most times I just FORGET to think of others. I can sit in front of my powered-off TV, bummed that no game or movie is "calling out to me", wondering what I can do to entertain myself for the rest of the night. Not once does the thought occur to me that this moment, while I'm not busy with anything else, would be a great moment to pray for a public speaker or missionary I know of and consider how to financially support them if I'm not already. Not once in those times have I done a quick Internet search on "Christians Suffering" to widen my perspective and provide a specific focus for prayer.

Jesus, rescue us tonight and this week from our forgetfulness toward our sisters and brothers.

The default, for all of us, is to think of ourselves and what we want in any given situation. We have to train ourselves to think otherwise and invest in our siblings. It's so easy, when I get together with other Christians, to want to be interestING instead of interestED. I want to be the guy who is funny or insightful or thought-provoking, instead of the one who is asking questions and learning more about people and their interests and passions. I can ask questions. It's not that hard to do most times, apart from a little energy expenditure. But I forget. I'm drawn so quickly to thinking about or talking about what I'm interested in. (Because after all, what I'm interested in doing and thinking about is awesome! Otherwise why would I do it? And there is no inherent sin in most of the entertainment we enjoy as geeks.) But you and I are called to "philadelphia" with each other. Both in our online interactions and in our local church communities. And as we do that we provide opportunity for God to bless us in ways we don't expect.