Radical Hospitality

This article was written by Rev. Kimberly Smith-Stanley,
the associate pastor at Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Austin.

Rev. Kimberly Smith-Stanley

Every week, I have the great pleasure of welcoming refugees. It began long before I arrived at Central Presbyterian Church, yet I am fortunate to reap the rewards of my predecessor, who invited Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT) to teach refugees English as a Second Language (ESL) in the classrooms of our church.

I have had the privilege of being an observer to this ESL program and have met many wonderful people along the way. We have watched as families enter our church doors for the first time, speaking little to no English, and we have witnessed them grow in their confidence and new found safety and freedom.

For several weeks, I had a daily encounter with a man who was extremely excited with the English he was learning; every time I saw him at church he would enthusiastically say, “Hello, how are you, hello, hello, it is good to see you!” At the time, his English did not go much beyond that, but the joy and enthusiasm that was experienced in that conversation between us was grander than any language barrier and greater than words could ever express. Every day I would look forward to seeing him to have this brief but life-affirming conversation that brought so much happiness to both of our day.

In light of the recent terror attacks in London, many of us are in a heightened state of fear. Fear for the safety of our families, fear of people who may look and speak differently than us. Yet God calls us not to act out of fear, but to act out of love.

In my Christian context, to be in relationship with God, means to be One. To be One means that we step outside of our own context, even a context of fear, to see and experience deeply with another.

My experiences with people who are refugees from all over the world, from all different faiths and countries, has broadened my understanding of who I am, and whose I am. It has allowed me to see, feel, and experience the Oneness that is present among us. God does not separate us by religions or countries of origin, but God claims us all as God’s own.

In Mark 9:35b-37, Jesus says to his disciples, who had been arguing over who was greatest, “‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ Then he took a child and put it among them; taking it in his arms he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’” I do not believe I have seen the full kindom* picture of what it looks like to show radical hospitality and welcoming. What is clear to me however, is the words of Jesus calling us to be servant leaders, to humble ourselves, to push ourselves beyond fear and instead listen to Gods voice, calling us all Beloved. We can participate in this radical hospitality of welcoming God, by welcoming God’s people from all faiths, religions, countries and contexts.

I am grateful beyond measure for programs like iACT that do kindom work in showing radical hospitality and love to all of Gods people.

*”Kindom” is an inclusive respelling of “Kingdom” used to demonstrate the mutuality in our relationships with God as opposed to the patriarchal system from which Kingdom stems.