Genesis: These are hard chapters, arent' they? The story of Sodom and Gomorrah has led us down many paths. Read it carefully. The town's main "sins" are being inhospitable (not being good hosts to strangers as we see Abram and Lot being) and acts of "injustice" that cause God to hear the cries of "injustice." Chapter 19 is difficult. There are the men (young and old) who come to accost these strangers sexually, the father who offers up his virgin daughters, basically to gang rape, because culture says to protect the guests at all costs----hospitality and being a host was no light thing in this culture. It's really difficult for us to understand. Our culture is about protecting self and family at all cost; it's a different way of thinking and viewing the world. The city of Sodom's sin, according to Jewish tradition (according to some scholars), is they did not take care of the poor, the sick, the stranger and were not good hosts.
The other two chapters do not get any easier to swallow. We have Abraham offering up Sarah again as his sister. And we have incest. And we have Hagar and Ishmael being cast out due to Sarah's jealousy. Reading these Scriptures are not easy; we do need to do some extra reading and learn about the culture and what Jewish scholars might be able to tell us about what is going on here in these texts. Some good news here: God keeps God's promise (and even expands it) to Hagar and Ishmael. God watches over the outcast.
Psalm 7 talks about God as our refuge. This is part of the reason we are to be good hosts---we are to take good care of the stranger. As agents of God---as those who reveal and make God known---we are called to be their refuge. We who are made in the image of God are to act as God would act--a refuge, a rescue, a shield.
Matthew 7: Do not judge (this is God's job). Treat people as you wish to be treated. This way of living is certainly the "narrow gate," isn't it? Only possible by being "inspired"--that is filled with the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, infuse us with your grace so that we might flow from your love.
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