Every Tribe And Nation

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. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.

“I told them if they were looking for another family to host an Amity intern one weekend a month, they should talk to you and that you would be very welcoming to all cultures,” my friend commented over the phone. We were discussing the group that would soon be arriving to assist with the Spanish immersion program our kids are part of in our local school district.

“Thank you, friend. That’s so kind of you to say,” I responded, and we went on to talk about the student who would be staying with her family.

As I thought about her compliment later, I mentioned to my husband, “I’ve never told her that.”

“She’s just seen us welcome others in,” he responded.

I nodded agreement. It was true. My husband and I live in a culturally diverse community, and we’ve been intentional about inviting in others who come from around the world—whether international students, Amity interns (Spanish-speaking teachers), refugees, or immigrants.

It all started years ago as we read Scripture and realized that God is building his Kingdom, and that includes people from every nation and tribe. We decided that we wanted to be part of this larger heavenly Kingdom and began to look around us for people who might need some encouragement or love. We realized there were many in our community from faraway places, missing family and the familiarity of home, and we wanted them to know that they were welcome here. Since then, we’ve built a diverse network of friends and “framily” whom we dearly love. I’m grateful for the way they have shown us a vision of what God’s Kingdom can look like here on earth.

Isn’t it exciting to think that one day people from every tribe and nation will stand before the throne, worshiping our God together? Although we long for that day, the good news is that we have an opportunity right now to join together in relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ—both here and abroad.

Kendra

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Look around you for someone new to your community and maybe even this country and invite them to coffee or a meal.