In Albuquerque, They Had Money, They Had a Reservation - So Why Were They Turned Away - The Troubling Hotel Trend That Made Me Ask a Deeper Spiritual Question
A Moment That Stopped Me Cold
I recently came across a story that I could not shake from my mind.
Several local residents in Albuquerque reportedly discovered that having money, identification, and even a reservation was not enough to secure a hotel room. Two Holiday Inn Express locations were reported to have policies that prohibited local residents from booking rooms, with one location reportedly citing concerns about "unsavory activities."
As I reflected on the story, my heart immediately went somewhere deeper.
What happens when people are judged before they are known?
What happens when the actions of a few create barriers for everyone else?
And perhaps most importantly...
Have we ever experienced something similar in our own spiritual lives?
Because if I am honest, I have.
There have been seasons when I felt rejected before I was understood.
Moments when doors closed without explanation.
Times when I wondered whether I was being defined by assumptions rather than truth.
The Albuquerque hotel story is certainly about hospitality policies and public concerns. Yet as I prayed about it, I sensed the Ruach HaKodesh highlighting a much deeper lesson—one that touches every human heart.
The Pain of Being Seen Through the Wrong Lens
Years ago, I went through a season when I felt misunderstood by nearly everyone around me.
People assumed things about my motives.
They formed conclusions before hearing my story.
Some judged me based on circumstances they could see without understanding the battles I was fighting behind closed doors.
Maybe you know that feeling.
Perhaps you've experienced:
- Being rejected because of your past
- Being overlooked because of your background
- Being stereotyped because of where you come from
- Being treated as a problem before anyone knows your heart
- Having opportunities denied because of assumptions
Those experiences leave wounds.
They make us question our worth.
They make us wonder whether anyone truly sees us.
Yet Scripture repeatedly reveals a different kind of Judge.
A different kind of King.
A different kind of Shepherd.
HaShem Sees What Others Miss
One of the most comforting truths in the entire Bible is that Elohim sees beyond appearances.
When the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint the next king of Israel, he naturally looked at outward appearance.
But Adonai corrected him.
“For man looks on the outward appearance, but Adonai looks on the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7
That verse has carried me through some difficult seasons.
People may see labels.
HaShem sees hearts.
People may see history.
HaShem sees destiny.
People may see failure.
HaShem sees redemption.
People may see what was.
HaShem sees what can become.
The Woman Everyone Wanted to Avoid
One of the reasons I love reading the Gospels is because Yeshua consistently moved toward the people others avoided.
In John 4, Yeshua encountered a Samaritan woman at a well.
Many people saw her as an outsider.
Some likely saw her as morally compromised.
Others may have dismissed her entirely.
Yet Yeshua saw something different.
He saw a thirsty soul.
He saw a woman longing for truth.
He saw someone worthy of dignity and compassion.
By the end of the encounter, she became a powerful witness to her community.
Imagine if Yeshua had treated her according to assumptions.
Imagine if He had accepted the labels others placed upon her.
Her story might never have changed.
Instead, He saw what others could not.
And He still does.
Why This Matters Today
The Albuquerque story resonated with so many people because it touches a universal fear.
The fear of being unfairly judged.
The fear of being excluded.
The fear of being rejected.
Many of us are carrying those fears right now.
Maybe not because of a hotel policy.
But because of:
- Workplace rejection
- Family conflict
- Financial hardship
- Divorce
- Addiction recovery
- Past mistakes
- Spiritual failures
- Personal struggles nobody knows about
Sometimes the enemy whispers:
"You'll always be defined by your past."
But Scripture says something entirely different.
Through the prophet Isaiah, Adonai declared:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.”
— Isaiah 43:1
Notice what HaShem says.
He does not call us by our labels.
He calls us by our names.
The Hidden Danger of Judgment
As I reflected on this story, I felt another conviction.
It is easy to identify with the person being judged.
It is harder to recognize when we are the ones doing the judging.
How often do we make assumptions?
How often do we write people off?
How often do we decide who is trustworthy before learning their story?
Yeshua warned:
“Judge not, that you be not judged.”
— Matthew 7:1
That does not mean abandoning wisdom or discernment.
Hotels, businesses, and communities face real challenges and must make difficult decisions.
But as followers of Yeshua, we must continually guard our hearts against allowing caution to become cynicism.
We must resist allowing discernment to become prejudice.
We must remember that every person carries the image of Elohim.
What If Closed Doors Are Not Rejection?
There is another lesson I have learned through painful experience.
Not every closed door is punishment.
Sometimes a closed door becomes divine redirection.
I can think of opportunities I desperately wanted.
Relationships I hoped would work.
Plans I carefully built.
When those doors closed, I felt devastated.
Yet years later, I thanked HaShem for every one of them.
Perhaps you are facing a closed door today.
Maybe you feel rejected.
Maybe you feel forgotten.
Maybe you feel overlooked.
Remember these words from David:
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of Adonai in the land of the living.”
— Psalm 27:13
Your story is not finished.
The door that closes today may be protecting you from something you cannot yet see.
The delay may be preparing you for something greater.
The rejection may become redirection.
Practical Applications for Everyday Life
When I feel rejected, misunderstood, or unfairly judged, I try to remember these principles:
1. Let HaShem Define Your Identity
Do not allow other people's assumptions to become your identity.
Your identity belongs to Elohim.
2. Refuse Bitterness
Bitterness can imprison us long after the original wound.
Choose forgiveness whenever possible.
3. Extend the Grace You Want to Receive
If you desire understanding, offer understanding.
If you desire mercy, offer mercy.
4. Ask What HaShem Is Teaching You
Every disappointment contains a lesson.
Seek the wisdom hidden inside the struggle.
5. Keep Moving Forward
Do not camp beside a closed door.
Trust Adonai to lead you toward the next one.
Key Takeaways
- People often judge based on appearances; HaShem looks at the heart.
- Rejection from people does not equal rejection from Elohim.
- Yeshua consistently saw value in those others overlooked.
- Closed doors may be divine redirection rather than punishment.
- We should examine both how we are judged and how we judge others.
- Our identity is found in HaShem, not in human opinions.
- Every person deserves dignity because every person bears the image of Elohim.
Reflection Questions
- Have I allowed someone else's opinion to define me?
- Is there a rejection I still need to surrender to HaShem?
- Am I judging anyone based on assumptions rather than truth?
- What closed door in my life might actually be divine redirection?
- How can I show the compassion of Yeshua to someone who feels overlooked?
A Final Word of Encouragement
If you are reading this today and feeling rejected, unseen, or misunderstood, I want to encourage you with something that has carried me through many difficult seasons.
HaShem knows your name.
He knows your story.
He knows the battles nobody else sees.
The world may categorize people into groups, labels, and assumptions.
But Elohim sees hearts.
Yeshua sees hearts.
And the One who sees your heart has not forgotten you.
Not for a moment.
Not for a second.
Not even now.
Closing Prayer
Avinu Malkeinu, our Father and King,
Thank You for seeing beyond appearances and looking directly into our hearts. Thank You for loving us even when others misunderstand us. Heal every wound caused by rejection, judgment, and exclusion.
Help us walk in the compassion of Yeshua. Teach us to see people through Your eyes. Guard us from bitterness and fill us with the wisdom of the Ruach HaKodesh.
For every reader facing a closed door, grant hope, strength, and renewed trust in Your guidance. Remind us that our identity is found in You alone.
Cover us with Your peace, surround us with Your protection, and lead us in Your covenant faithfulness.
In the name of Yeshua the Messiah,
Amen.
Reference:
Albuquerque hotels deny bookings to local residents
Two Holiday Inn Express locations in Albuquerque have policies prohibiting local residents from booking rooms, with one citing concerns about "unsavory activities."
https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-hotels-deny-bookings-to-local-residents/71563466
