Hebrews 13 summarizes the book of Hebrews in the first 19 verses with 13 items.
Love is in verse 1, hospitality in verse 2, prison visitation in verse 3, strong marriages in verse 4, not loving money in verse 5, presence in verse 6, respect for teachers in verse 7, dependability in verse 8, resisting weird religious fads in verses 9 through 14, praise in verse 15, sharing in verse 16, obedience in verse 17, and prayer in verse 18.
He then he closes the chapter and the book with a call to action in verse 19 and a benediction in verses 20-22.
Now you should know at this point, one of my favorite poems is “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.
“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood, And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth, Then took the other, as just as fair ...”
Realizing there is no way to expand on everything in Hebrews 13, let’s focus on the first two things.
“Let love of the brothers and sisters continue. Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
— Hebrews 13: 1-2
Love who God loves and love what God loves is its point.
But understand, the love of God i.e. “agape” is neither an emotion nor a feeling. The love of God is a verb. It does what is best for someone.
The love of God gives someone what they need. We needed a Savior and God gave his only Son to die on a cross for our sins.
The love of God is “a practical love” and coincidentally, hospitality is “a practical expression of love.” This from the Psalmist:
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.”
— Psalm 23: 5
Psalm 23 describes the hospitality of the desert people. If I come to your camp, you’ll greet me with a kiss, wash my feet and my head, offer me a drink of water, offer me something to eat, and keep me safe for two days, i.e., you would give me what I need even if I’m your enemy.
Later in Hebrews:
“(Therefore) let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God” who rains on the just and the unjust.
— Hebrews 13: 15
I hope you had a blessed and happy Thanksgiving, and I hope it continues daily as we near a new church year.
Charles “Buddy” Whatley is a retired United Methodist pastor serving Dawson Street Methodist Church in Thomasville, Ga.
