Failing or Forgetting?

Last week's theme, Romans 12:13 -- Contribute to the needs of the saints; seek to show hospitality.

I could make excuses. Lots of them. But I dislike excuses greatly, so I'll save you the pain of reading them all and cut to the chase:  I didn't do it.

I thought about writing a lovely piece about my open door policy and the girls who streamed into my room this week, girls who I talked with when I easily could have been busy with other things — tell you all the ways that I am, in fact, a great RA.

But it would be half of the story. A truthful exposition shows for every moment of genuine hospitality, I also told girls that I was tired and it was time to leave. Or, in a particularly fine moment, stuck a "SHHH... napping" sign on my door, turned off all the lights and hid in my room with the door locked asking one of my Min Team girls to make sure that no one bothered me for twenty minutes while I "breathed."

Its funnier because biblical hospitality is my selling point. Its my battle cry in evangelicalism — that we reach beyond ourselves to genuine love for others.

Last week, I don't know what happened. Either I failed or I forgot, or possibly both, but I did not show hospitality, and with it demonstrated the opposite of biblical love: selfishness. Last week, I was absorbed in my own studies, in my own wants. Not entirely, but enough to be problematic.

I can't fix last week. I can't redo it and try to be more hospitable this week. But I can strive to do my best with this week's theme, although I have little hope of success, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."

I'll try.