36
B
i
b
l
e
s
t
u
d
y
r
e
s
o
u
r
c
e
W
hen have you rejected the living waters of hospitality and compassion because it was not
"supposed" to come from a certain source?
When have you received the living water of hospitality and compassion?
When have you received it from a place you did not expect?
I think the reason hospitality is so often connected with food and meals is because there is an
essential exchange between parties, connecting over shared time and space, fulfilling a basic need.
We sit next to one another, look at each other, and enjoy together. And the extension and connec-
tions that follow the meal can reach far and beyond that space.
Just as much as we are willing and asked to give these things, may we also be willing to receive
them in unexpected places—whether by a well, in a landfill or around your home table.
Irene Pak is associate pastor at Stone Church of Willow Glen in San José, California.