Normalize Hospitality

(A Stream-of-Consciousness blog….)

So today, we had some friends over for lunch. What was originally going to be dinner turned into lunch, and the “clean up timeline” was accelerated. This is totally fine, but as we were getting things ready, doing dishes, straightening couch cushions, etc. I had a thought.

We’re treating this as an “event” rather than as part of our “rhythm.” And it should be an “event” to a certain extent. We’d invited out of town friends over while they’re in town, and were really looking forward to it. (And what a deep joy it was to spend time with them!)

However, I think a slightly different mindset should be in place.

Rather than something out of the ordinary that we have to make special preparations for, hospitality should be a normal thing. We should pursue a regular rhythm of welcoming people into our home so that it just becomes part of who we are. This isn’t to say that we need to have someone over for lunch, dinner, coffee, game night, play date, etc. on some sort of rigid schedule. That could quickly get very legalistic. I can just see it: “well Frank, we haven’t had anyone over in the required 9 day cycle, so can you stop by for dessert tomorrow? We have a quota to fill, you know…”

What I’m talking about is where we think of our homes as one of the many resources that God has given us and one of the purposes of this resource is the pursuit of relationships. When we invite others into our home, we’re inviting them into our lives. Your home is framework for your closest, most important relationships: your spouse and children. Inviting someone into that context is a beautiful thing! 

This will, of course, look different for every family. I know many families that do this already, and I love it! Additionally, the qualifications for an elder in 1 Timothy 3 include “hospitable.” Remember that those qualifications are character qualities every Christian should aspire to.

So invite someone into your home for the purpose of relationships soon! You don’t need to cook up a fancy gourmet meal. Just set out sandwich stuff and enjoy each other’s company. It’s also ok to ask them to bring something. Remember, your house isn’t really yours. It’s the Lord’s and He has placed it in your stewardship. How will you use it for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom?

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob

P.S. - I’m not advocating a “drop by without notice/warning” policy. But also don’t feel like your house has to be “model-home-magazine-shoot-ready” before allowing someone inside. Hard, I know, but the more we grow in community, the easier it will get.