What can we learn about hospitality from the actions in 2 Samuel 17:27? Setting the Scene • “When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim” (2 Samuel 17:27). • David is exhausted, on the run from Absalom, and in desperate need of allies and supplies. • Three very different men—an Ammonite, a former caregiver of Mephibosheth, and an elderly Gileadite—step forward together. Seeing Hospitality in Action • The narrative continues: they “brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, curds, sheep, and cheese… for David and his people to eat” (vv. 28-29). • Their gift is timely, abundant, and thoughtfully matched to the travelers’ needs—food, equipment, rest. • These men expect nothing in return; they act out of loyalty, compassion, and faithfulness. Lessons on Hospitality • Hospitality begins with open eyes. Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai noticed the need—“hungry, weary, and thirsty”—and acted (v. 29). • True hospitality is practical. Bedding, bowls, and diverse foods address specific physical shortages, not vague gestures (cf. James 2:15-16). • It is generous. The list of supplies reads like a harvest festival, not rationed crumbs (Proverbs 11:25). • It bridges backgrounds. An Ammonite prince, an Israelite landholder, and an elderly Trans-Jordanian set aside differences to serve God’s anointed (Galatians 6:10). • It involves personal risk. Associating with a fugitive king could provoke Absalom’s wrath; biblical hospitality often carries cost (Hebrews 13:2). Sustaining Those on the Front Lines • David’s men are soldiers and refugees. Provision strengthens God’s people for continued obedience (1 Kings 17:8-16; Philippians 4:15-17). • Hospitality thus becomes partnership in God’s purposes; Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai share in David’s eventual victory. Cultivating a Hospitable Heart Today • Stay alert to weary travelers in your orbit—missionaries home on furlough, college students far from family, neighbors in crisis. • Offer specific, tangible help: a guest room, grocery gift cards, a hot shower, a listening ear. • Give freely, trusting God to replenish (Luke 6:38). • Maintain unity across cultural lines; hospitality is a gospel witness (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9). • Remember: when you refresh others, you refresh Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40). |
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