Hebrews 13:1-2
13:1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Here, we see a clear directive for Christians as the last chapter of Hebrews begins: show love even to strangers by showing them hospitality. In doing this, you will treat them as “brothers and sisters,” even if they are no blood relation to you, and even if they are unbelievers.

Some might ask why this is a key part of the Christian life. The simplest answer I can give is to relate it to Matthew 25:40, in which Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brethren of mine, you did for me.” Any time we do something for our fellow man, we are serving Jesus, both figuratively and literally. When we are willing to give of our time and effort as well as our money to help someone else, we are showing them mercy and grace just as God first showed it to us–and we are pointing the way back to God.

A Memory of Showing Hospitality

I remember when I was about five or six, my family was in a drive-thru line at the KFC in Gaffney, SC, getting lunch. A painfully-thin man in ragged clothes stood near the drive-thru line as the cars circled around, begging at each car’s open window. His face looked so desperate as he approached our car, and Dad rolled down the window to speak to him–it turned out he didn’t want money, but just food.

Mom and Dad had a quick conversation after the man had begged for food, and then Dad went on through the drive-thru; I remember being surprised how much food Dad was ordering. There were two big boxes of food handed out the window to us, and then Dad looped back through the parking lot, driving up beside the man to hand him one of the boxes, stuffed almost to bursting with food, and a large drink.

The desperation on the man’s face turned to relief and joy, and he wept, saying “Thank you, thank you! God bless you!” I saw the tears in Daddy’s eyes in the rearview mirror, and even as little as I was, I understood that they were happy tears. Mom was just as moved, sniffling as we slowly pulled away.

This memory is the first thing I thought about when I read these Bible verses. God puts people in our paths for a reason, whether it’s for us to serve them or for them to provide for one of our needs. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” We didn’t know the man, but my parents knew he had a genuine need, and knew that they could fulfill it. And in times since, we have been the grateful recipients of timely mercy gifted by someone else who saw our need.

Serving other fellow human beings spreads the message of God far better than anything else we could ever do–and this goes both for the people who benefit from your service and for the people who witness it. For myself as a young child, seeing this modeled in front of me was a powerful message about selfless service that I have never forgotten to this day.

Hebrews 10:1-4
10 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming–not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Here, the writer of Hebrews describes the process of presenting offerings to God for cleansing of sins as being an ineffectual process, never truly getting rid of the sins themselves, but only appeasing everyone’s conscience for a little while. After all, the people themselves didn’t stop sinning after giving an offering, so the process had to be repeated over and over again, whether annually or weekly. And, he notes lastly, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins”–which undermines the meaning of the whole sin-offering sentiment anyway.

Yet this is the way sins were “cleansed” for hundreds of years in ancient Israel; it was the only way to even attempt living a pure lifestyle, because the Messiah had not come yet. But none of these sacrifices could make the sinners perfect in God’s eyes–even if they clung to the Law as tightly as they could, they still sinned. This period of time existed to prove that humans alone could not live a completely righteous, sinless life, nor could they atone for their own sins.

Contrast that with Jesus, the Messiah, who came to earth as God in human form, living a sinless life so that He would be a perfect sacrifice. His death on the cross WOULD cleanse all sin once for all those who believe. Instead of having to make “endless” sacrifices for their sins, now people could move on from past sins, starting fresh from the moment they professed faith in Jesus’ ability to save their souls and bring them back into a right relationship with God. Jesus did what the Law and humanity’s own efforts could never do: forge a spiritual bridge between God and humanity again.

Now, it’s important to note that believing Jesus is our personal Savior does not stop us from sinning entirely. But it does (or should) inspire us to lead Christlike lives, and it is the only way to go to Heaven. Because of Jesus and no one else, we have hope for heaven–not because of anything we did, but because God saw fit to give us a way back to Him.

Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Here, in this one verse, lies a huge stumbling block for most people who have difficulty with Christianity (or, indeed, with any faith practice). The writer of Hebrews is emphasizing the role of faith in our lives all throughout chapter 11; he cites example after ancient example of times when people believed in God and saw miracles performed. But here in verse 6, he reminds us that if we don’t believe He exists, the process of faith breaks down completely.

There are many in the world today who insist that God is not real, because they do not see His blessings and they do not see evidence of Him. These days, we want to prove everything completely by science and disregard faith, and yet by faith, amazing, unexplainable, otherwise impossible things have been done, as the writer of Hebrews says, because God willed it so.

I have always enjoyed the study of science, myself, but I have also enjoyed how every branch of science seems to be painting a huge mural of God’s works, brushstroke by tiny brushstroke. The wonder of DNA itself, a single code that describes all creatures’ genetic makeup, has always put me in mind of a single Creator. The scientists who look deeply into space trying to “see” remnants of the Big Bang always manage to find an all-over tint of microwave radiation, encircling the known universe like an embrace–perhaps, a divine embrace.

I see God’s works described by scientific research and studies, but then again, I am already a believer. If people don’t believe in God and keep insisting He’s not there, then, in my mind, it is no wonder they aren’t seeing His works in their lives. Our minds can be blinded by pride or even ignorance–even if we witness God’s works, we might not understand them for what they are because of that.

But, if we can allow ourselves to be as open-minded as possible and begin to seek God in everyday life, it’s amazing where He shows up. I’ve seen Him at work on the highway, when I was sure I was going to be witness to (or victim of) an accident; I’ve seen Him heal where doctors had absolutely given up hope of recovery. It simply takes the belief that God is great (that He exists) and that He is good (He rewards those who seek Him humbly)…and then, perhaps, we may be witness to miracles in our own time.