Eternal God,
When I see strangers coming
Remind me that they are potential guests
Rather than probable enemies
When I see strangers coming
Help me to prepare to be a good host
To provide food, drink, warmth and a respite
For these travelers who might be weary
When I see strangers coming
Enable me to see them as possessing wisdom
From which I may grow
And stories of their varied experiences
That might teach me lessons for my own life.
When I see strangers coming
Do not allow me to automatically cower in fear
And put up impenetrable defenses
But give me the patience
To speak directly with them
To gain an understanding of who they are
And what they might need
In order to continue on their journey.
Or, if they want to remain among us,
May I be free with suggestions and assistance
That will facilitate their transition to a new home
And a new life.
When I see strangers coming
Who approach without hostility
Whose hearts are open
And whose hands may be empty
Due to oppression in the land they have left behind
Open my heart and guide my hands to reach out to them
To lift them up in their time of need
For they are not an emergency to be met with force
But, instead, bearers of a chance
For me to show
That my people’s history
As strangers
Will lead me to be
Warm and welcoming
And to give them what my ancestors would have wanted
Upon their arrival to this new land:
Care, hospitality, love, and hope.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, who gives me the opportunity
To extend my hand to the stranger
Who, like me, is created in the image of God.
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