hos·pi·tal·i·ty (hŏs´pĭ-tălʹĭ-tē) noun
plural hos·pi·tal·i·ties
1. Cordial and generous reception of or disposition toward guests.
2. An instance of cordial and generous treatment of guests.
Sometime I find it very difficult to be a good Christian. It’s hard to figure out how to reconcile what I view as my Christian duty with what is right, or comfortable, for everyone else; I find that it’s a delicate balancing act.
On Sundays in the summer at Trinity we have what is called “A word with the preacher.” (We discus elements of the Gospel, and the how they relate to our lives, and to the sermon to come.) To me it’s always interesting.
Well, last Sunday a homeless young man, who had been coming for some years now, decided that he would try and hijack the group with his own personal problems. In the past people had let him prattle on, and then went back to what ever the subject at hand was.
Now understand, People have tried to get this young man help before, but he has refused that help. He chooses to stay in his present situation. Personally. I think he is a little unstable; I get the distinct impression that he is off whatever medication he is taking.
Be that as it may, last Sunday he became very hostile. So much so that I thought I would have to take action. I’m not an old man, but I’m not a young one either, and this had the potential to get real ugly real quick. I had spoken up for him in the past and now I regretted that, badly. He walks around these days with a wooden stick, the top carved in the shape of a scull. You see my problem? I would have had to hurt that boy, again badly. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that. The preacher, who was also meeting with little success in calming him down, ended the session early. It was decided that he should not return until such time as he got some help, or at the very least learned to be more hospitable.
I am not unsympathetic to the homeless, mentally ill, drug addicted, or any other person that society has marginalized, but I cannot allow people who are showing signs mental instability to trample on the feeling of, or take advantage of the hospitality of others. What do you think? Peace and Long Life.
Love Worf
