Moving is lonely. You leave your friends and your church and the people who knew your name. In the new place, nobody waves. It can take months before anyone invites you over.
There is a story about two people who invited a stranger in, and it is one of the most beautiful in the Bible.
The road to Emmaus
Three days after Jesus died, two of his followers were walking home from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles away. They were heartbroken. Everything they had hoped for seemed to be over.
A stranger came up and walked with them. He asked what they were talking about. They told him about Jesus, and how he had been killed. The stranger talked with them about the scriptures the whole way, and their hearts felt warm.
When they reached the village, the stranger seemed to be going on.
Stay with us
The Gospel of Luke, one of the four accounts of Jesus's life, tells us what the two did.
But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luke 24:29 · King James VersionThe original Greek
καὶ παρεβιάσαντο αὐτὸν λέγοντες· Μεῖνον μεθʼ ἡμῶν, ὅτι πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἐστὶν καὶ κέκλικεν ἤδη ἡ ἡμέρα. καὶ εἰσῆλθεν τοῦ μεῖναι σὺν αὐτοῖς.
Found in Papyrus 75 (about AD 200), Codex Vaticanus (about AD 325), Codex Sinaiticus (about AD 350).
"Constrained" means they pressed him. They insisted. It was getting dark, and they would not let a stranger keep walking alone.
At dinner, the stranger took the bread, blessed it, broke it and handed it to them. And suddenly they saw who he was. It was Jesus. They had been walking with him all along.
They found out who he was because they invited a stranger to dinner.
Ways to help
Introduce yourself. Knock on the door, wave across the yard, say your name. Most newcomers are waiting for someone to go first.
Share the local secrets. The good doctor, the best grocery store, where to get the car fixed, which park is safe for kids.
Invite them to something. Dinner, a cookout, a church service, a ballgame. Offer to drive them the first time.
Introduce them to others. One friend can lead to five.
Ask again. If they say no the first time, they may just be tired from moving. Try again in a week.
You might be surprised
You do not know who you are welcoming. The two on the road did not know either. Your invitation might be the first time someone in your town has felt at home. That is worth a plate of food.