“Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
‘I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.’
So we can say with confidence,
‘The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?’
Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.”
Have you ever been on a phone call and just when you say, “Well, I have to go…” the other person says, “Wait, just one more thing!” This letter to the Hebrews is coming to a close, and the author is squeezing in one last pep talk to keep these early believers from going astray. I love the chapters like this in the Bible, because it really boils everything down into the most important things.
Here’s the list of the top 6 most important things to remember about being a Christian:
- Love each other
- Show hospitality
- Remember those who are being mistreated
- Honor marriage
- Don’t love money, but instead be satisfied
- Remember all you have learned from good leaders
As we keep these top 6 things in mind and seek to live them out, we can release the earthly things that give us a false sense of security. I love that the author here says that we don’t need to love money because God will never fail us. He’s not going to abandon us. So how bad can life really get? Sure, things go wrong. Problems happen. But a truly eternal perspective stays connected with the reality that God is constantly holding on to you. It’s okay to let go of earthly things and let him hold you tightly.