Christian Hospitality

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:9-10

Hospitality: The act or practice of receiving and entertaining strangers or guests without reward, or with kind and generous liberality. American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1830.

Paul, in his epistle to Titus, included being hospitable as one of those marks of a mature Christian that ought to be present in our church leaders. (Titus 1:7-9) Peter (quoted above), exhorts all his Christian readers to be hospitable, and like Paul, links hospitality with good stewardship of the gifts God has given us. As we contemplate the many blessings God has bestowed upon His undeserving people, let us also think about how we may best use those blessings for His glory.

Peter also bids us to be hospitable without grumbling. Our pride often tempts us to feel imposed upon when we are asked to serve others. But hospitality rendered with a truly humble spirit, without pretense or pride, is a beautiful manifestation of the work of the Spirit of God in the lives of His people. Through this happy labor we are given the opportunity to touch other lives, promote peace within the church and our families, witness and disciple, encourage those who are laboring for the kingdom, uphold those who are suffering, and comfort those in the midst of trials. What a privilege to be used of God for such important things!

But...I have a tiny, messy house, no china, too few chairs, no guestroom, too many children, an obnoxious dog, very little free time, and a minuscule food budget!

There are many challenges to providing hospitality, but we must not let them become excuses. A little creative thinking can help us to find solutions to our particular problems. We also need to examine ourselves to determine if our biggest challenges might not be within our homes, but rather, within our hearts. The focus of hospitality is on our guests, not on our snazzy home decor, our immaculate housekeeping, or our china and silver. Setting too high expectations for such things is often a matter of pride.

Focusing on our guests is a good antidote for that problem. After all, will our guests not enjoy themselves unless the ceiling is painted and the carpet matches the wallpaper? Will their meal be ruined if it's served on paper plates? Your guests will remember your conversation and fellowship long after the plates and furniture are forgotten.

We can think outside the box a bit, too, by remembering that having people over for dinner is not the only way to be hospitable. A single father I know sometimes invites a few men over for an evening of conversation and board games. The men bring their own snack foods and drinks, and have a wonderful time together. A college student can invite a visitor to the campus ministry to meet him or her at a coffee shop for lunch. A mother with small children can invite a few other moms over to bake Christmas cookies together. A person without transportation can be invited to come along on your shopping trips.

In all of these situations a person new to the faith or new to your church may feel freer to ask questions he or she might be uncomfortable asking in a Sunday school class or other big meeting. And the better people know each other, the less likely they are to misinterpret or mistrust one another--which adds to the harmony in churches and families.

Comments

[john k mbugua]

thanks lot, i do agree with you, this is powerful very effect,well in my church this is rare,i have a vision to reach my people through hospitality well can you assist me we some written material which can inform me on the same,thanks,john from Kenya,EastAfrica