This is part four of “Hospitality with a Purpose.” Click here to read part one two, or three.
So why should we have folks into our home? Let’s review our acrostic for Purpose:
P—People need to see a Christian home
U—Unite them with other faithful Christians
R—Reproduce
P—Hospitality Gives You a Chance to Be Personable
I can’t really get to know someone passing them in the hallway at church. In order to really get to know them, I must give of myself. Sometimes we do not want to get close to others because we have been hurt in the past or are afraid of being hurt. If that describes you, it may help you to realize something: either you are hurting, or you are going to get hurt. It’s okay, and it’s simply part of life.
Hosting people in your home is a way of giving of yourself. It’s not so much what’s on the table that matters. It’s what’s on the chairs. People are important—not things, not what you’re serving, not the place setting.
First Peter 4:9 tells us, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” It is when we cheerfully open our homes to others and invest ourselves in them that we get to know them better and make a difference in their lives.
Remember that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Let’s talk about another good reason why we should be hospitable:
O—Obedient: the Lord Commands Us to Be Hospitable
First Timothy 3:2 instructs a pastor to be, “Given to hospitality.” Our pastor and his wife have led the way in this area for our church. They’ve been a great example and have literally opened their home to thousands of people through the years.
We tell our children that obedience brings blessings. Well, hospitality is obedience. Therefore, hospitality is a blessing. We always get a blessing when we open our home for hospitality and encourage others in this way. How are you doing in this area?
Another great reason to be hospitable:
S—Shows People They’re Accepted
Everyone wants to feel like they belong! You can introduce people to one another at church or in your Sunday school class, but it really makes a difference when you have someone new into your home with someone who has been around longer. In this setting, it gives them the opportunity to get to know one another on a different level. It really is a joy to see people connect and feel like they have a friend.
Help someone this month to feel they’re accepted and that they belong by extending hospitality to them.
The last reason we will look at is:
E—Encouragement
We can all give the gift of encouragement. I once heard the definition of encouragement given as “pouring courage into someone”—I love that.
Don’t let pride keep you from being a blessing!
Some of the excuses we mentioned in an earlier article stem from pride. Think about it:
- Our house isn’t clean
- We’re too busy
- We don’t have the money
- I’m too tired
- We don’t have a nice house
- We don’t have nice furniture
- We don’t have enough room
Those are all about self! If you are going to be hospitable you will have to stop thinking about yourself and endeavor to be a blessing to someone else.
We need to be encouragers. We can all get discouraged sometimes! Be that bridge someone else needs in their Christian growth.
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”— Hebrews 10:24–25
By way of review, the purpose of hospitality is:
P—People need to see a Christian Home
U—Unite them with other faithful Christians
R—Reproduce
P—Personable
O—Obedient
S—Shows they’re accepted
E—Encouragement
My life is either a bridge or a barrier in bringing others to Christ and hospitality can be the bridge that helps someone.
Please pause and ask the Lord, what He would have you do in this area of hospitality. Listen to what He says to you. Commit this to Him, and be used of God in this area.
The attachment below contains recipes that I hope are a blessing to you as you serve others.
