In days gone by to share your home and a meal with someone was to share your life. However perhaps with our fast food, busy schedules and often disconnected lifestyles we have lost the understanding of how significant hospitality is to our life and the health of our communities.
The definition of Hospitality is; the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers, in a warm and generous way
Jesus is a great example of how impacting sharing our homes and meals with others can be. He ate with tax collectors and associated with all types of people including the one’s nobody wanted to spend time with and it was through this that He communicated a powerful message of acceptance, intimacy and unity. ( Luke 11:37)
The bible repeatedly encourages us to “Practice hospitality to one another and to be hospitable, a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Jesus’ followers. And in our hospitality to do it ungrudgingly and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him” (1 Peter 4:9)
Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by the love we have for one another (Jn. 13:34-35), and one way others can experience His acceptance and love is through the hospitality we extend. Plus some have even entertained angels without knowing it because they chose to open their homes.
Welcoming people and doing all we can to create a true experience of community touches people profoundly. We live in a time when people long for connections and some form of togetherness. Families move from place to place more often today than in previous generations which affects family connectedness and friendships. As individuals we frequently do not even know our own neighbours or only know people on superficial levels. However when we invite people into our homes to share a meal or a cup of coffee, or we help and support others to be able to do so if we don’t have the space or freedom to do so, it has the potential to change both ours and other people’s lives for the better.
Let’s make our lives larger not smaller and open our hearts and our homes in the showing of hospitality and generosity. Simply use and share what you have to give right now; whether that is a little or a lot and impact someone else’s life for good today.
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2; Genesis 18:2-5))
“Be hospitable to one another without complaint. (1 Peter 4:9)
‘For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;” (Matthew 25:35)
Prayer: Lord please help me to open my heart and my home to others so that I can grow as a person and share my life with others in generosity and warmth. In Jesus name Amen.
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