The Practice of Hospitality

There was a day last week that  bled hospitality to me: from  blog, to Bible verse, to circumstance -- God was standing  with a placard to my face that read in big, bold letters:  HOSPITALITY. 
What  it means to me,  personally, is a call to trust God to bring people in, in His perfect time, and to not  fret when the invited do not show up because once you have the sign out that says: "WELCOME"-- people will come. They may not be the ones you expect to come, but they are the ones that God will bring to your door, the exact ones that need what you have to offer---that is, the Love of Jesus.

For the rest of us, what does it mean? People today mostly want  fast-food, quick meals and drive-throughs. The default choice is to dine in fine restaurants, stay in hotels, or shelters where people are paid to serve and cater to your every need.  And there you see, is the key.  Hospitality is a GIFT:  of yourself, your time, your resources...you invite people in to your home, and into your life.  

I read this blog post  by Gabe Lyons on this Christian practice*. He recounts that in the Netherlands religion is seen as irrelevant tradition and the way the church there engage the post-Christian culture is by adopting hospitality.  He says that in Amsterdam, hospitality is a standout, countercultural idea and conversations about faith were happening because of  hospitality. 

Lyons made what I thought was a particularly amusing observation: Jesus was the ultimate party-goer. He ate in the homes of sinners and liked spending time with people in their house-parties so much that he was accused of being a drunk.

The practice of hospitality-- of letting  the friend and stranger in--should be a way of life for the believer. For the Christian, it makes your faith real and tangible. In fact, Christ believers  in the New Testament were commanded and commended for the  practice. It is "good faith in action".  

For some of us who consider our homes as our haven and our sanctuary from the outside world, it could be a challenge. I, in particular, have to get over my fear of shoe-borne germs, and the big pile of dirty dishes. But, as Lyons says: "Christ calls us beyond our fears and desire for comfort to trust Him, confident that when we welcome the stranger, we are welcoming Jesus into our midst."  

"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:13


*One Remarkable Way to Live Good Faith: When Society Thinks People of Faith are Irrelevant & Extreme, by Gabe Lyons