Perspectives: Who answers the invitation?

Earlier this year, Steve and I revitalized our bird feeders. They hang right outside our kitchen window, and we had a wonderful time watching all of the birds in the area come by and eat. Then we noticed that overnight, entire bird feeders would be emptied. The birds here are hungry, but not that big. 

Either we had a bigger animal eating our seed or Big Bird lived in the neighborhood.

One evening we caught the suspect, red nosed. Deer. This was not the creatures we had invited to dinner, and yet it is who showed up.

Are we willing in church to issue an invitation and to then offer radical hospitality to whoever says yes, and knocks on the door. Do we have Open Doors to everyone?