When guests came to Avraham Avinu, he stopped speaking to the Shechinah and went to greet them. Chazal learn from this that hachnasas orchim (welcoming guests) is even greater than kabalas pnei haShechinah (being in the presence of the Shechinah).
The Nesivos Shalom explains that when someone helps his friend, we know he loves that friend. But when someone helps his friend’s son, we see a greater degree of love towards the friend. In the first case, the helper may have some side reason for being helpful, but in the second case, the helper has no reason to help the friend’s son, other than the fact that he loves the father.
When someone helps another Yid because he is his brother, a son of Hashem, it shows his tremendous love for Hashem, even more than when he is actually mekabel pnei haShechinah!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 104.