In what ways can we offer refuge to those in need today? A Troubling Moment that Still Speaks “He replied, ‘We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD. Yet no one has taken me into his home.’” An Israelite family stood exposed on the streets of Gibeah because no one would open a door. That single sentence exposes a society that had forgotten God’s command to protect the stranger. Scripture records the episode not to shock alone, but to warn—when hospitality fails, cruelty soon follows (vv. 22-30). The text presses us to consider how we may become safe havens in our own generation. God’s Heart for Refuge • Exodus 22:21 – “You must not mistreat or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.” • Deuteronomy 10:18-19 – The LORD “executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. And you also are to love the foreigner.” • Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” The consistent testimony of Scripture: God personally identifies with the vulnerable. Refusing them aid is refusing Him (Matthew 25:40). Welcoming them welcomes Him. Why We Act • Obedience – Hospitality is not optional; it is commanded (1 Peter 4:9). • Gratitude – We were once “strangers to the covenants of promise” (Ephesians 2:12-13). Christ took us in. • Witness – Tangible love adorns the gospel (Titus 2:10), proving faith lives (James 2:15-17). • Protection from Judgment – Sodom (Genesis 19) and Gibeah (Judges 19-20) fell when hospitality died. Faithful refuge-giving shields a society from similar decay. Practical Steps for Individuals • Open-door hospitality: a meal, a spare room, or temporary housing for believers in transit, missionaries, foster children, refugees, college students far from home. • Street-level care: carry care packages, blankets, and local shelter information to share with the unhoused. • Financial refuge: short-term rent or utility assistance through church benevolence funds or personal gifts (Proverbs 19:17). • Transportation: offer rides to medical appointments, church, or job interviews for those without vehicles. • Legal and language help: accompany immigrants to appointments, translate documents, tutor English. • Mentoring: walk beside single parents, ex-offenders, or recovering addicts, offering skills, accountability, and friendship. Practical Steps for Local Churches • Host family-style fellowship meals open to members and visitors every Lord’s Day. • Establish a mercy team that works with local shelters, crisis-pregnancy centers, and refugee agencies. • Create an emergency shelter plan for winter nights or natural disasters. • Support safe-house ministries rescuing victims of trafficking (Proverbs 24:11). • Develop a foster-care support network: respite care, meals, diaper drives. • Offer free ESL, citizenship, or budgeting classes in the church building. • Adopt a sister congregation in a persecuted region, providing prayer, letters, and material aid (2 Corinthians 8-9). Christ, Our Ultimate Sanctuary Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Hebrews 6:18 – We “have fled to take hold of the hope set before us,” finding unshakable shelter in Christ. Every practical refuge we extend is a living parable of the greater refuge offered in the gospel. By opening our doors, wallets, calendars, and hearts, we echo the Savior who said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary” (Matthew 11:28). May no traveler of our day ever utter the lament of Judges 19:18 because God’s people stand ready to receive them. |
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