I'm going to bet that depending on your season of life, most of us have some thing that holds us back from opening the doors of our homes more frequently, in terms of hospitality.
If you're a parent, particularly of young children, it could be the evidence of an active life scattered around your home. Even when chores are kept and everyone does their part, it doesn't take much for 'disorder' to creep back in. Forget cleaning! You spend most of your time, just trying to pick things up.
If it's not a struggle to keep a clean house, maybe it's a shortage of time or space to host a get-together. Or instead, an issue of funds to plan an event or dinner the way that you'd like to. I mean, if you're going to do something, go all the way- 'give God the glory' right? Well maybe....
What if all of the things that we hinge 'hospitality' on, aren't really about hospitality at all?
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I've been submersed in the book of Titus lately. It talks a lot about the characteristics of Christian leaders. What I found in terms of hospitality stopped me in my tracks.
Titus 1:8 says 'Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.'
We can see verses like that and think 'Yeah, when I get 'x' (like discipline, I'll have a clean house) and THEN I will be more hospitable. Right now I don't have the time, the means, or the proper space.'
It's a lot to keep up with, isn't it?
But as I broke down the words in the verse and began to study them, I found my way to the verse in Romans (shown in picture) and then the commentary. It reads:
‘Christian hospitality differs from social entertaining. Entertaining focuses on the host- The home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host must appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guests. Their needs-whether for a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or acceptance-are the primary concern. Hospitality can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and the guest are doing chores together. Don’t hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain.’
Pretty thought-provoking, huh?
William Barclay said that being hospitable means to be 'a lover of strangers'. Then he said that no one needs a fellowship more than a stranger in a strange place.
You and I may not have the time to slip from our routines to meet new faces. But this era that we're in, seems to confuse 'being connected with others' and our screen time. Trying to connect for more than a second, beyond the glass, or even face to face can indeed feel 'strange' and harder to manage. -Especially, if we're waiting for our conditions to line up first.
You know what else?
When I pause to consider where Jesus fits in, I am reminded of fish and loaves, mud, and His acceptance of two copper coins. Over and over again, He is shown using only what He had and accepting the same from others. At any opportunity.
-And if you'll remember, He even told Martha to put the vacuum down. (Okay, so maybe not the vacuum but I think you get it.) ;)
Now seriously, in the Bible, He said love God, then love people. Not our stuff, our food, our schedules, or glorious to do lists.
Our Jesus- HE is the real lover of strangers. Our being 'hospitable' (by this new definition) might be a better way of emulating His goodness and His acceptance. After all, we seldom accept our own best efforts. Where is the witness or the freedom in that?
When Jesus made it a point to show his disciples the widows offering (the two coins), it was because it cost her something. Not from her wallet but from her heart.
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The VA Cooperative Extension has many free programs to help VA residents w/things like budgets and meal planning. Click here to learn more.[/caption]
There's nothing wrong with entertaining unless we're spending beyond our means or if we're doing it for the wrong reasons. Even then, spending a fortune to 'entertain' or busting our rump, has never really cost us a blow to our ego. But letting people see our weakness does. -Whether it's in how little we have to give or how little we can keep up with... Boy now, that's a tender spot, isn't it?
And tender... that's where the love gets in.
...just like He commanded.
...Share [whatever we have] with the LORD'S people.
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Then our verse says 'PRACTICE' hospitality.
This one little word makes all the difference. Practice. Do you know why?
Because it's hard. Maybe not when it's on our terms but when it's unexpected- and out of our routine, it is. We have a sin nature that wants to keep things for ourselves and only do what we want to do. Even our best efforts at times can be a little stingy or tainted. But don't beat yourself up for it. Pray about it. Ask for an opportunity. Then take what you learn from it, tweak it, and do it again.
And then again.
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And finally,
It's hard being a wife, a mother, and Godly woman (or man), especially when we try to blend in our other roles and to-do lists. It's also hard to find time to get with our friends to encourage each other and/or share the Word. But following Jesus and His example, while uncomfortable at times, is freer than following our ideals.
The next time you bump into someone who needs to talk, invite them over. Even invite them to do a chore if there is work that won't wait. Listening to each other and praying together are both free but also powerful! You might be surprised to see how the Lord uses your offering and how much it touches your own heart. Be blessed!
Share with the Lord's people in need.
Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13
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