“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34)
Brandon and I have always loved having others in our home. But I must admit that for a great deal of our marriage, preparing for those guests was nothing short of misery for me. I would get so stressed out. I wanted everything to look and smell good. I would spend so much time CLEANING! With my tropical fruit carpet deodorizer, my orange scented pledge and my trusty cinnamon scented candle burning, it was no wonder my guests didn’t fall over dead when they first walked in our door. Then it was time to start cooking. Cooking and I do not get along. My meals do not usually turn out the way I desire. (of course they do when there are no guest present. Why is that!?!) Nonetheless, I manage to present something edible, but by the time my guest arrive, I’m ready to call it a day and catch some shut eye. Our guests walk in and graciously say something like, “you shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble”, in which with a nonchalant smile and shrug of my shoulders, I would respond, “it was no trouble at all.”
Been there? I have more times than I can count. But after many years, I have finally started to buy into the thought, that it is not the appearance of the house or even the taste of the food that counts, but rather the fellowship of the people. We have sadly restricted hospitality to extravagant meals and a home straight from the cover of Martha Stewart. But doesn’t that miss the entire point? Hospitality is literally defined as a lover of strangers. It is an outpouring of mercy and grace to others without the expectation of receiving anything in return. Hospitality anticipates the needs of others. The aqueduct of hospitality is broader then the confines we traditionally place it. Hospitality can be sharing your heart with another person through a warm conversation, it’s a visit to someone who is lonely, a smile, a card or physically providing a specific need for someone in need. All of us can show hospitality by inviting someone into our hearts.
If hospitality is going to thrive within the walls of your home, it must first thrive within the walls of your heart.
Inviting people into your home is not nearly as important as inviting them into your heart. When I make it all about exterior things, I negate its true purpose thus limiting its power and substance in the Lord’s work.
How can we as Christians, commanded by God, show hospitality?
1. Lift Up Your Eyes
“Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.’’ John 4:35
Lift your eyes up from your computer screens, from your phones, from your schedules, from yourSELF, and tend to the needs of others. Romans 12:13 tells us to “seek to show hospitality.” Are you seeking out those who need your help? Are you anticipating the needs of others? People are in need, people are hurting, and people long to have the blessed hope you have…do you see them? Don’t wait to be asked, making a beggar out of someone, rather lift your eyes and take care of the need. The Bible speaks very poignantly of this. JAMES 2:16 “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” See the need and take care of it.
2. Quit Making Excuses: “I would, but…”
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10
We need to do what we can, and do it as we have opportunity. “Well, my house is too small”, “my cooking isn’t good enough”, “my handwriting is not legible”… Stop the excuses! Excuses only rob us of time and of beneficial opportunities. In Genesis 3, we see Moses falling into this very pattern. He has just been approached by the Lord to go and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Instead of jumping at the opportunity , he immediately starts making excuses to why he can’t fulfill the request. “Who am I that I should go” (Ex. 3:11), “they will not believe me or listen to my voice” (Ex. 4:1), “I have never been eloquent in speech” (Ex. 4:10). But through the Lord’s assurance of His own presence with him, Moses finally succumbs to the wishes of the Lord and carries out one of the most powerful events in history. You see, when we close off opportunities to serve others, we close off the opportunity to be the avenue of God’s power. Let us not forget that hospitality is an evangelistic tool. It is a tool to reach non believers and a tool to encourage believers.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10
In conclusion, let us not forget that hospitality is an avenue to show God’s love through our hands to others. Open your hearts to others for by doing so you serve the Lord Almighty.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and your visited me, I was in prison and you came to me…truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Matt. 25:35-40