Welcoming Friends

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.

A woman named Alima sat down next to Ruth and her mom at a barbecue their family was hosting. During the conversation, she told them that sometimes people give her funny looks. Alima came to their area as an immigrant several years ago and is now married with two little girls of her own. “It makes me sad that people would be afraid of me and my family without really knowing us,” she said.

“It makes me sad too,” Ruth’s mom told her. “You and your family are some of our favorite people. You are loving and kindhearted, always willing to help.”

Alima smiled at her gentle words.

After she left, Ruth and her mom talked more about their conversation. “Why are people afraid of them, Mom? They’re such nice people. And their girls are so sweet.”

Her mom agreed and then replied, “Sometimes people are afraid of things or people they’re not familiar with. It doesn’t make it right. But we can always be the ones to push past fear and get to know others.”

The Bible tells us that in heaven, people from every nation and tribe will worship before the throne of God. What a beautiful picture! As Christians, we can model that same kind of community by befriending people who may not look like us. When we listen to someone else’s experience that is different from our own, and try to put ourselves in their position, we are loving people the way that Jesus did. We don’t have to be afraid of others because of how they look or dress, because of the foods they eat or don’t eat, or because of the language they speak or the country they came from. Every person is made in the image of God, and people from every nation will stand before the throne of God someday. This frees us to be welcoming friends.

Things to Think About

• Do you have friends from a different country or culture? What do you have in common?
• Why do you think the Bible says people from every nation will stand before the throne of God?
• How can we celebrate our differences with friendship?

DAILY ACT OF FRIENDSHIP

Extend friendship to someone from a different country or culture.