Hospitality

       Hospitality is something that comes more easily for some people than others.  My husband is a naturally friendly, outgoing, hospitable person.  We joke that he can walk into a room full of strangers and leave as the best man in someone's wedding and a handful of invitations to other events. While I love people and preparing food and special occasions for them, I don't automatically think of it.  Having a big party, or even attending one, wears me out.  We work in complement to each other.  My husband extends me further and is quick with an invite.  I occasionally help him say “no” and spend some days at home with only our family.  Paul tells us in Romans 12:13, “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

Whole hospitality may look different for people of different personalities, there are some marks of hospitality that apply to everyone.  It always involves meeting the needs of others.  A good example of this would be when someone has a baby. This may include providing a meal for the family, helping with cleaning, providing child care for older children, or giving gifts of clothes, diapers, or needed baby items during those early weeks.  This will look different based on the needs at hand, but hospitality always seems to meet a need.  Hospitality also involves putting others before yourself.  You may open your home to others because they are lonely and need some time with another family.  Even if you would prefer a quiet day at home, you deny yourself in favor of their need for companionship.  It may cost you extra money to have people over for dinner every week, but you cut in other areas to allow for a budget that includes having people over for dinner at least once a week.  You may have to give up your free Saturday to help a new family move into their home.  Whether or not it is easy for you, you should make a conscious effort to be hospitable to those around you.

Hospitality can look different for different people and personality types.  Sometimes hospitality is as simple as packing some extra snacks and greeting newcomers at church.  Other times hospitality is more elaborate such as inviting people over for dinner, having people over after church, or hosting big parties.  My husband enjoys inviting people over for lunch after church, especially if they are new to the area or visiting our church for the first time.  Not only do we want them to feel welcomed and loved, but we also want to know how we can help them with their transition, especially if they have just moved to the area.  Not everyone stays at our church, but our goal isn't to recruit people to our church.  Our goal is to love other Christians and help them feel cared-for and welcomed in a new community.  If they decide to make our church their home church, that is great.  However, if they decide on another church in our town, we can still be friends and care for them as brothers and sisters in Christ.  Whether you are coordinating the meal train or simply providing a meal, you are showing hospitality to those around you by meeting their needs and opening yourself to a relationship with them.  Hospitality involves both friendliness and generosity.  ‭1 Peter 4:9-11 tells us, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Hospitality does not require a certain amount of square footage, acreage, or a culinary degree.  Your small house can be just as welcoming as a large one.  People don't mind sitting around the living and dining room balancing paper plates on their knees if you are offering it in sincere love and friendship.  It doesn't matter if you have a five course meal or hot dogs with macaroni and cheese, as long as you are offering it from a cheerful heart.  Don't allow what others do to show hospitality keep you from sharing what you have.  We all have different talents and express our care in different ways.  When we were in the NICU with our son, the hospital was still pretty locked down due to COVID.  As a result, people had to be creative in the ways they showed hospitality.  Some people cared for my mom and our older children at our home.  They provided transportation, meals, and invites to holiday gatherings as our stay extended through December and past Christmas.  Other people cared for us by providing comforting and encouraging words via phone calls, text messages, and cards.  People provided my husband and I meals through monetary donations, door dash deliveries, and meetings in the parking lot.  Even though we had unusual circumstances and a difficult situation, God sustained us through the love and hospitality of our church family.  They were not only praying for us, but their actions backed up their words.

Hospitality is not optional.  There are several places in Scripture where we are told to extend hospitality.  including Hebrews 13:1-3 which says, “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”  We should keep our homes in such a way that we are always ready to extend hospitality.  For me, that looks like a big table with plenty of seats, basic kitchen staples always on hand to make a quick meal or dessert, and a big Christmas Party at our house every year.  How are you ready to show hospitality?