Indifferent Innkeeper?

Inn is known as the "resting place for the night". During the Old Testament times, hospitality was considered as a religious duty. But, inns or modern version of hotels were not available in those bygone days. However, during the time of Jesus Christ, inns became common stopping place for the business caravans that crossed desert lands to reach various cities with goods for merchandise.

Orphan in his own hometown
"And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7) Joseph and Mary could not find a place in Bethlehem. Firstly, Joseph belonged to the city of David, Bethlehem (Luke 2:4) but was an orphan or refugee or an uprooted in his home town. The plight of refugees/migrants today was experienced by the Joseph and Mary in the first century.

Secondly, the people of the town did do the righteous thing of providing shelter for the travelers. The children of Israel began to be a community with commercial preferences rather than sacred religious duty.

Thirdly, the young couple did not have enough resources to hire a place. It was most probably beyond their reach. The Inn keeper gave them only the stable that was within their budget.

Innkeeper was not alert
The innkeeper was immersed in his routine duties. He did not anticipate divine intervention neither in his work not in this world. Hence, he was not alert to opportunities that God might have offered in his life. His paradigm was work, earn, enjoy and sleep. So his mind was not open for God's interventions or God's purposes in his life.

God normally does not interfere in supernatural ways. He likes to interact to us in our own routine context. The risen Lord interacted with the disciples on the road of Emmaus in a casual and normal way (Luke 24:13-35). He also met Peter on the shore of Galilee (Luke 5).

The innkeeper let a golden opportunity to serve the incarnate Jesus Christ. He missed it miserably as his spiritual senses was blunted either by ignorance or love for 'making while the sun shines'.

The Innkeeper did not show spiritual inclination
There was a great expectation and aspiration in the minds of Jews during the time of Jesus' birth. They were under the bondage of the Roman Empire. People were seeking deliverance, in fact, looking for a Messiah who would save them from the yoke and bondage of Romans. There was both political aspiration for King like David and a spiritual aspiration for a Messiah. Simon was waiting to see the Messiah with his own eyes and Anna was fasting and praying in the temple of Jerusalem. Several individuals were leading rebel movements, misunderstood by common people as Messianic movement. But, all these did not influence the innkeeper. His commercial interests dulled his spiritual aspiration. He missed to play a key role in the historical event.

Did the Innkeeper do his best?
From his own perspective he could have done his best. However, from God's perspective he did not do the best. The couple in great need should have been his priority. (Some auto-ricksaw drivers in India do not charge for taking pregnant women to hospital.) But he just gave permission for them to use a stable where the Son of God took abode with the animals. "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him." (John 1:11) Christ came for human salvation and the human beings including the innkeeper rejected him and refused to yield place for him. Good that the animals did not reject him.

In our life we come across several people who need help. Are we doing our best to help them? Today, it is their turn to be in need but tomorrow it may be ours. A small help can change the destiny of a person or society or city or a nation. Rs. 200 may help a student to complete her graduation; Rs. 1000 may help a street vendor to do a small business. Small and insignificant amounts for middle class Christians; but life transforming resource or investments for the poor.

Innkeeper's name not recorded
The innkeeper's name was not recorded in the Bible. When the angels gave information about the birth of Jesus, they simply announced that Christ was born in a manger (Luke 2:10-12). The inn could have become world famous but it did not. When an angel appeared to Cornelius, the angel said that Peter was staying with Simon the tanner (Acts 10:6). Similarly, the angels could have announced the name of the innkeeper or the name of his inn.


Challenge
Even today human hearts are overcrowded. There is still no room in many hearts of men for Lord Jesus. Let us not miss the opportunities God sends us like the innkeeper but do the best possible to all people. Is there any room and priority for Kingdom agenda in our hearts?