Hospitality and Welcome

It seems ironic that the church is foundered on the teachings of the most welcoming and most hospitable God and yet, for many outside our walls, we have a reputation for being quite the opposite: for being inward looking rather than welcoming and for offering judgement rather than hospitality. Too much time in a holy huddle not enough time at the coal face of life? Well yes and no. The truth is the church is made up of people living at the coal face of life. The church is full of ordinary people warts and all and we are most definitely not in a position that allows for the judgement of others. Christ always welcomed everyone and it seems to me we are called to do the same. Now that’s hard. It is easy to welcome those we like or those who are like us but the rub is we are asked by God to welcome all.  What does that mean? How for does that go? I need to think about that.