Hospitality Redefined

 As I reflect over the concept of hospitality, I think we as Christians need to redefine it.

Our society seems to think hospitality is all about entertaining, parties, and the use of things to dress up the event.  Just check out the home shopping channels before the holiday season. 

 They try to convince us that the cookware, serving pieces, and gourmet food are necessary for a successful holiday.  They are really good at what they do. 

After entertaining in my home for 32+ years, I have finally realized that while these things are not necessarily wrong, they do not define hospitality in its real sense.

Hospitality is receiving outsiders and changing them from strangers into guests.

Hospitality is not a specialized spiritual gift that only a few people possess.

Hospitality addresses the physical needs of food, shelter, and protection. But hospitality also radically affirms the high worth and common humanity of all people.

The entire Christian life can be seen through the grid of Incarnation and Hospitality.

Incarnate-means ‘Out of flesh born’

'Incarnation' is following the example of Jesus as given to us in John 1:14 –“And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh and dwelt among us.”  It is the act of proactively entering into the world of others. We do this in an attempt to relate to them, understand them, be a friend to them, and witness to them.

'Hospitality' is the flip side of 'Incarnation'. Hospitality is the act of inviting other people into OUR world, in order to accomplish the same things.

When we invite our neighbors to church, we are asking them to enter OUR world in the hopes that they might discover Jesus and their need for a Savior, and become part of the Christian family of the forgiven. When we invite our neighbors into our homes, we are likewise inviting them to enter our world and see Christianity in action in the home, warts and all.  (Nobody's perfect!)

While it's true that some may be "better" at hospitality than others, everyone has a stake in it. As Peter is teaching 'the elect' about what it means to exercise spiritual gifts in this last age, he tells God's people to 'offer hospitality to one another without grumbling' (1P 4.9).

Hospitality is that open door to true friendship.  I shudder to think what this season of my life would have been without the support of the folks I have been friends with for years.  God uses His people to help us through the difficulties of this life.

I am grateful for my friends!!! 

                                         Confectionately  Yours,

Sue