Monday, March 14, 2022

day no. 15,848: hospitality is meeting immediate needs

Deuteronomy 23:24-25
If you go into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag. If you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain.

Christian courtesy should say, "My pantry is your pantry or my fridge is your fridge," it does not need to say, "My pantry is your grocery store or my fridge is your shopping list." It makes sense that a guest under your roof should be able to assuage their immediate hunger or thirst at your expense, but they shouldn't expect to fill their pockets with tomorrow's breakfast. Hospitality is meeting the immediate needs of those for whom you have temporarily taken responsibility. It does not mean being a free market for freeloaders. You should let guests glean, but you shouldn't feel bad for not letting them loot your reserves.

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