Big Howdy: Inviting the Stranger
LABOR DAY IN LIGHT OF MATTHEW 25:40
Author: Taylor Duitsman
Growing up we know that school or work holidays were something to look forward to as kids—and still as adults. Whether it was one day or weeks off, it was still time off! Holidays come with traditions and memories attached to them. And whether we personally celebrate them or not, we all have an idea of why we celebrate it. However, Labor Day is one holiday that people don’t always have some meaning or tradition to pair it with. Most people just gladly accept the holiday off of work or school without question. But did you know that in Arlington, Texas there is a Labor Day tradition!?
Every Labor Day, Grace Community Church, Big Howdy, and other UT Arlington campus ministries partner together to create an opportunity for new international students attending UTA to have a day out in Fort Worth. These students, who would otherwise be confined to their empty campus for the day, get the chance to tour Fort Worth with some local Texans—US! They get to see the Fort Worth Water Gardens, Sundance Square, the Stockyards, and Trinity Park for free! Meanwhile, the “locals” get to ask them about themselves, their studies, and families and, hopefully, make them feel welcomed to the Metroplex.
This year over 75 students were connected with several volunteers and got the “Big Howdy” that anyone new to the area deserves. When Jesus was giving His warning and teaching in Matthew 25 about His second coming and the great divide that will happen, He specifies those who will be brought into the Kingdom: those who invited in the stranger. He states that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40 NIV). If we take Jesus’ words as seriously as He means them, we know that what will set Christians apart from the rest of the world is our heart to bless the hungry, needy, or stranger. The mission behind this event is not only to have a lot of fun and make new friends, which we do, but to reflect the sacrificial and limitless love of Christ.
Join us next year!
