This month sees theweek of prayer for Christian Unity, taking place from 18 to 25 January, an annual initiative in which churches throughout the world are askedto pray for one another as a way of growing closer. Each year takes a differenttheme on which to hang these prayers and this year it is from the Acts of theApostles (28,2): they showed an unusual kindness.
It is the story ofPauls ship, in which he is being held prisoner, being wrecked off the islandof Malta. A bedraggled Paul and his companions are washed up on shore, where wehear that the locals show an unusual kindness to him and his companions. Tothis day the Church of Malta celebrates this event as the arrival of theChristian faith on their island. Through this kindness divided people are drawntogether, strangers become friends.
Im taken by thephrase unusual kindness. It is not that kindness is unusual: theres plentyof it about. But more that this sort of kindness is extraordinary - kindness tostrangers, and bedraggled ones at that. How contemporary this story is as wehear about refugees today trying to reach safer countries in unsafe littleboats across the Mediterranean, as unpredictable a sea today as it was inPauls time.
Hospitality is being shownto those who are different. It is relatively easy to love those whom we knowand like. It is much harder to love those we either dont know or actuallydont like, and I guess Ive got a way to go in that area of my discipleship. ButJesus calls us to this unusual kindness. He tells us to love even our enemies,and Holy Scripture makes a big deal out of loving the stranger.
Where do we learn thisextraordinary love? By recalling theoccasions when it has happened to us and when people have shown us unusualkindness. We know we grow by being loved into life. Christian unity is anaspiration for all churches, becoming one so that the world may believe. Infact, Christian unity is already a reality, not expressed so much in schemesfor unity, but rather in myriad acts of unusual kindness shown by those workingin the food banks, patrolling our towns as street pastors, or making space intheir homes for refugee families.
Showing hospitality, especiallyto strangers, preaches the gospel more clearly than our documents orstrategies. I rather think it is unusual kindness which makes the difference.
Robert Jones
