Friend-filled Vacation

Friend-Filled Vacation

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.

My sister-in-law April is a very hospitable person who takes every opportunity to invite others into her life and day. On her most recent family trip to a resort, only an hour from our town, she invited my family up for a day of swimming and games. While we were there, she told me that she had another mom coming up with her kids the next day for a much-needed day of fun and how they’d welcomed other families to join them as well.

We spent the afternoon swimming in the pool, eating pizza, and playing bingo, and as we made the drive home and all my kids fell asleep quickly in the backseat, I considered April’s hospitality. I thought about how easy it would have been for her to just spend the time with her family and not include others, and then I thought about her reasoning—she wanted others to experience the same joy, fun, and time away from daily tasks that she and her family were enjoying. It was a reminder to me that any occasion in our lives can be an opportunity to invite others in, build closer relationships, and offer others a little happiness.

April’s example reminds me of the encouragement we receive in Hebrews to show love to others as if we were brothers and sisters. We are to think about and keep on loving others in all areas of our lives, and we can include them in activities like vacations, birthdays, or even holidays—things usually reserved just for family members. When we invite others to join us, like we would brothers or sisters, we can offer them the reprieve they need. It seems like such a small thing, but it can make a world of difference to someone going through a hard time. When love is our primary goal, we will see every moment as an opportunity to love others well.

— Kendra

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Ask God to show you an area of your life where you could invite someone else to join you, treating them with the loving welcome you might show a brother or sister.