Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
Celebrated Parisian artist, Ary Scheffer, wanted to paint a portrait of a beggar so his friend, the famed wealthy banker Baron Rothschild, volunteered to be the model. He told Scheffer, "Wait 'til tomorrow and I'll dress myself up as a beggar, and make you an excellent model.” As promised, Rothschild came back the next day dressed as a very poor looking beggar. In fact, Rothschild looked so much the part that when a visitor entered Scheffer's studio, he was so overcome with pity that he reached into his pocket to give a gold coin to whom he had presumed was a beggar. Ten years later, Rothschild wrote to the patron who gave him the gold coin, "Sir, you one day gave a gold coin to Baron Rothschild in the studio of Ary Scheffer. He has invested it, and made good use of it. Today he sends the capital you entrusted to him, together with the interest it has gained to the tune of ten thousand francs." In the spirit of Hebrews 13:2, it's quite obvious that we can never know who among us is an angel or a messenger from God. That said, be mindful to show kindness and hospitality to strangers because the person before you might be an angel entertained, a lost soul in need of Christ or even a fellow Christian looking for encouragement. In any event, your good and hospitable behavior (or worse yet, your poor and inhospitable behavior) just might have a long-term effect.
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