Be not forgetful to entertain strangers

I was traveling home from Washington, D.C., with a fellow teacher and twenty middle school students we chaperoned. The airplane was only half full, so passengers could find and choose from many empty, unassigned rows and seats. I selected the aisle seat of an empty row when a lady I saw while waiting to board asked if she and her sister could sit in the other two seats. Even though I was puzzled because there were so many empty rows of seats, I said yes. 

The lady next to me was wearing a plastic wristband, and the only legible letters were ‘tru.’ I thought that it might stand for the first letters in the name of a presidential candidate but dismissed the thought since the first letter was not capitalized. I introduced myself and mentioned that I was a teacher escorting students on a trip from Florida to Washington, D.C. She commented about the governor of Florida’s political views, especially his stance on education, which she disagreed with. Not wanting to engage in a political conversation, I pivoted away from the topic and, at some point, mentioned that I was a Christian. She replied that she was also a Christian but was disillusioned by churchgoers who were not acting as they should and caused disunity. This allowed me to encourage her by talking about the love of God and forgiveness, emphasizing that change can start with one person.  As the Holy Spirit led, I shared from my own experience and how the Lord helps me navigate the rough terrain of relationships. This was especially relevant when she asked about the difficulties of teaching middle schoolers. Her question gave me another opportunity to share the Word of God and how Jesus Christ showed me how to love and respond to my students. And so our exchange went. 

This conversation was the impetus for my sitting down three days later and beginning to write. The first time she commented that I should write a book, I told her it was in my heart to do so. I showed her the notebook I carry to jot down inspiration from the Lord. It was fascinating that she often repeated, “You should put that in your book” throughout our chat. As the pilot announced that we were beginning the descent, she told me that this conversation should be part of the introduction to the book. She then added that she looked forward to seeing me talk about it on television. This discussion was interesting and encouraging, to say the least. 

Before we braced ourselves for the impact of landing, she turned the wristband around so I could read the entire quote. One side said, “I dare you to,” and the other said, “trust God.” I was awestruck! This was a message for me as I had been seeking God concerning the next steps for my life, especially since I was considering retiring from public education. Did I mention that she introduced herself as Angela, a name that means ‘messenger of God?’ I did not think about the meaning of her name until the next day as I considered our interaction. 

Hebrews 13:2 reads, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” It just so happens that some of my studies and readings at that time focused on the role of angels. Could it be?

And so, I write.