The Oasis

Hospitality & Healing

When we look at the life of Jesus we see two key components: first of all, he welcomed all people, especially those rejected by the established culture and religious leaders. He reached out to women, children, ‘blue collar workers,’ foreigners, slaves, eunuchs, divorcees, the phycially and mentally ill, as well as drunks, prostitutes, and tax collectors. He didn’t expect them to clean up their act and get their lives together first. He simply extended God’s love and mercy to them as they were. As his followers we are asked to do the same.

Secondly, in the process of extending love, Jesus brought healing to their lives. Traditionally we speak of the salvation Jesus brings, however, Salvation is more than what happens after our death; it is also something that happens while we are alive. The word salvation comes from the Latin salvos, which is also the root of our word salve. That should give us a clue! If we dig further back into the Greek of the original biblical texts, we discover the root of salvation and salve is sodzo which means ‘to heal, to make whole, to make well.’’ As Christians we are called to bring healing and wholeness to others and to our world.

Therefore, welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed us to the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)

Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don't get into an argument over differences of opinion. (Romans 14: 1)

If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. (John 12: 47)

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3: 17)