Hospitality is a forgotten art. I think all of us would do well to learn about what Hospitality is and how it can be lived out. I studied up on this idea and here is what I found. Here are 5 things you should know about what hospitality is and what its place is in your personal life.
1: Hospitality is not only for people just like you.
We often practice hospitality to people that look like we do. People in the same socio/economic class, or the same race, the same age, the same background, or the same belief system that we are, tend to be the ones we are very hospitable to. I think this is because if we make them feel comfortable and welcome, we ourselves feel comfortable. However, we need to understand that hospitality should extend ESPECIALLY to people that are NOT like us. We should be hospitable to those that are not of the same class, race, age, background, or belief system. If we are to spread the love of Christ, we must take active steps to welcoming everyone just like Jesus did. He went out of his way to speak with the woman at the well. She was totally different than he was, but he spent time relating to her life. Jesus was a master of being hospitable.
2: Hospitality is not doing whatever makes YOU feel comfortable.
Many people have this idea that Hospitality is having your friends over to watch a movie and provided them chips and salsa. We have a tendency to think that if we like something, others will as well, or at least we think that they SHOULD like it. Hospitality does not look inward. Hospitality looks outward. It looks at the people that need to be welcomed and finds ways to embrace them. It seeks to make the guest feel comfortable. As a church, this may look like having popular music playing at an event instead of the "Christian Music", or maybe having a meeting at a local restaurant instead of at your building. Why is this important? Because when we take steps to make the people we don't know feel welcome and comfortable, we remove barriers between us that allow us an opportunity to get to know them.
3: Hospitality is a sacrifice.
Hospitality is not convenient. It takes time, effort, and dedication. If you are only doing what is easy for you, then you probably are not being very hospitable. Generosity and Hospitality go hand in hand. To grasp this, I think we first have to understand that we don't own anything. The stuff that sits in our house is on loan to us from God. How can we claim ownership of something that God owns!? To get to the root of being sacrificial in our hospitality, I believe we must adopt the attitude that says, "What I own is yours, if you need to use it or take it, do so." When I have people in my home, I attempt to make it clear that everything I own is already theirs. If they want my food, take it. If they need my money, take it. If they need my bed, it is theirs." Obviously, this is MUCH harder to live out than it is to say, but it is true. Am I saying that if a stranger came to me and asked me for my car keys I would hand them over? Probably not. But I AM saying that God blesses us, so we can bless others and that if we have a mindset that we own all this "Stuff", we probably are not being sacrificially hospitable to people.
4: Hospitality breaks down barriers.
Hospitality should be breaking down barriers for you. If we are truly making an effort to welcome people and make them feel comfortable, whether it be in our home, church, business, or party, we will begin to see that people are more receptive to our friendship. In many cases, we pull down walls to enable us to share the message of Jesus Christ. I heard once that the message of Christ is not inherently offensive, but people that proclaim that message and look nothing like the Christ they say they represent, are offensive. If we seek to welcome and embrace people of all colors, beliefs, and backgrounds with a sacrificial hospitality, I think we will see emotional barriers crashing to the ground. It is almost impossible to remain guarded, when you feel comfortable and at ease.
5: Hospitality does not make sense.
If people can understand why you are so hospitable, you might not be doing it right. Why is this true? Because real hospitality doesn't actually make much sense. Giving away what you "own" to another person for free, or making someone else feel comfortable because you love them even if you have never met them, are not ideas that are common in our society. Sacrificing for the sake of a stranger is ...well, strange. People don't understand that concept. However, if we love like Christ loved, we will do just that. We will go out of our way to welcome people into our homes and churches.
If we get back to the art of Hospitality, we will amaze ourselves with how receptive people are to the message of Christs love. If we reflect Jesus' welcoming, gracious, and comforting attitude, we may begin to understand why so many people were drawn to Him.
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