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 chose the aisle seat in an empty row when a lady I’d seen 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 it might stand for the first letters of a presidential candidate’s name, but I dismissed the idea when the first letter wasn’t capitalized. I introduced myself as a teacher escorting students on a trip from Florida to Washington, D.C. She commented on the governor of Florida’s political views, especially his stance on education, which she opposed. 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, which caused disunity. This allowed me to encourage her by speaking of God’s love and forgiveness, emphasizing that change can begin 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 me to sit down three days later and begin writing. The first time she suggested I 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 kept repeating, “You should put that in your book,” throughout our chat. As the pilot announced we were beginning our descent, she told me this conversation should be part of the book’s introduction. 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 about the next steps in 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 happened that some of my studies and readings at the time focused on the role of angels. Could it be?

And so, I write.