Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Col. 3:12
Being welcoming is not easy. All too often we confuse greeting people with welcome. All too often new people are greeted, but after a couple of minutes people quickly return to speaking to those they know. As a seasoned church coffee watcher, I have seen this all too often – but it is true of all type of groups. It is hard to be open to others.
Being welcoming is not just being kind – of course we need to be kind, but that is only the start. It is that deep love that truly receives the other.
Being welcoming is not just saying to others ‘come and be just like us’ – that is not to honour the individuality of the newcomer. True welcome means that we are changed by the person we welcome.
Being welcoming is not easy.
In Luke’s Gospel, Simon the Pharisee invites Jesus to his home. He no doubt thinks he is being welcoming, but in fact it is the woman ‘with a sinful life’ as she is described by St Luke who wipes his feet with her tears and pours perfume on them. Indeed, Jesus rebukes Simon for not providing water so that he could wash his feet. Simon thought he was being welcoming but his welcome fell short.
Being welcoming is not easy – over the centuries we have struggled to welcome those whose religion, ethnicity or history is different to ours. It is hard enough warming to those from Sandy who move into Biggleswade!
Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
The word compassion is often used – not least by politicians of all colours. And yet I wonder – do we know what compassion really means? For compassion is about welcome.
Compassion is not just being kind to people. Its Latin roots are cum passio – to suffer with. It is more than just being kind – it is to have that profound empathy for someone else – to feel their need and pain and then to be moved to respond.
It is no surprise that the Good Samaritan is said to have compassion for the man who had been attacked. He literally gets alongside his suffering and then responds by binding his wounds, putting him on his donkey, taking him to the inn and committing whatever is needed for his recovery. Compassion is costly, asks us to step beyond our comfort zone, to put the needs others first.
For compassion – like genuine kindness, humility, gentleness and patience – is rooted in the love of Christ. That agape love that is about giving despite the cost; it is the love of the one who goes to the cross for us; it is the love reflected in that beautiful passage from 1 Corinthians.
Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
It is not easy to be welcoming. When we think we have got there, there is always more.
As a nation we have, in the main, been welcoming to those from Ukraine – there many families who have been generous in the extreme with their guests. We are not so welcoming for those from Syria, Afghanistan or elsewhere.
In Luton I chair the Trust that works with the Roma community, one of the most oppressed communities in Europe. They are not always welcome.
So where are the limits of our welcome? Where do we need to push the boundaries? Who do we need to receive in a way that means that we are enriched by the presence of the other? What does compassion truly look like – who are the hurt and damaged in our communities who need suffering with that they might be included?
It is not easy to be welcoming – but when it happens it is rich and joyous; we gain from the insights of others and are changed; see the other not just as a visitor, but a privileged guest who we are proud to have among us.