Is Hospitality Still Needed?⤒🔗

With an increasing number of eating places, accommodation outlets coupled with our own busy lives is there such a need in today's society to show hospitality? Maybe people do not go without a meal in our country but today people still need to see the love of Christ in action. Conditions may have changed, but people have not. Many people are lonely, separated geo­graphically from family and friends (e.g. students, refugees, immigrants, employment) or separated emotionally from family and friends. Their lives could be influenced for Christ because we took the opportunity to invite them into our homes.

What is biblical hospitality? Sometimes our understanding of hospitality is reduced to enter­taining family and friends, or an industry, or a morning tea roster. In the Bible the word "hospitality" comes from a Greek word "philoxena" meaning a love of strangers. It involves a reaching out to strangers, bringing them into our homes and lives and expecting nothing in return.

The Bible is full of examples of reaching out to people.

• God created a hospitable environment for Adam and Eve. Gen 1.
• Abraham & Sarah entertained three angels. Gen 18.
• Lot in the city of Sodom took care of strangers at the gate. Gen 19.
• Boaz and his care of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth 2-3.
• Abigail made up for her husband's lack of hospitality to David and his men. 1 Samuel 25.
• The poor widow was willing to share her last meal with Elijah. 1 Kings 17.
• At the other end of the economic spectrum the affluent Shunamite woman provided a room for Elisha. 2 Kings 4:8-17.
• Mary and Martha, Luke 10:38-42; John 12:1-3
• Aquilla and Priscilla. Acts 18:1-3, 26; Lydia. Acts 16:15

The New Testament also gives direct teaching on Christian living which included showing hospitality:

• Rom 12:13: "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality".
• 1 Peter 4:9: "Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. Do not forget to enter­tain strangers for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels unawares."
• In 1 Tim 3:2 and Titus 1:8 hospitality is listed as a requirement for an elder.

However our biggest motivation for hospitality should come from gratitude. Eph 2, "once we were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and with­out God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been made near by the blood of Christ." The ultimate act of hospitality was Christ who died that we might become members of the household of God.

So what discourages us from being hospitable?

• We lack time and energy. It does require sacrifice. Often I find it is more to do with lack of organization and getting around to it!!
• Our fear, pride or insecurity in our housekeeping and culinary skills. This can really cripple our ability to serve as we compare ourselves with others. (Believe me no one ever visits when the house is in a presentable state.)
• Our children's behavior. It is harder to deal with problems with children when you have visitors.
• The amount of time one can spend with your spouse and family is decreased because of the "intrusion" of others into the home.
• Financial considerations. It costs.
• The vulnerability of our children to abuse.

Hospitality is never finished and its value cannot be readily measured. So it can be discourag­ing. Actually hospitality does not require any unusual resources but it does require a willing­ness to share ourselves and what we have. It is giving someone our attention; making them feel welcome, wanted and warm! It does not have to involve food and should not be about impressing people with our skills. It is too easy to become "distracted and troubled by many things" like Martha, so that one does not actually relate to the visitors.

I remember guiltily inviting an overseas family around to share our leftovers but it was the big­gest compliment I could have paid them. They were being treated as "family". Having said that, bringing out the good china is a sign of showing honour to your visitors and highly appreciated by certain cultures.

So what are we doing when we bring people into our homes?

• We are showing our own children love and compassion in action.
• We are providing an example of real Christian life, warts and all. We have had a num­ber of students from Christian and non-Christian homes from New Zealand as well as overseas. They have appreciated this opportunity to observe. It is humbling and scary when you realize years later the things that impacted them.
• We are sharing the love of Christ and his message in a natural comfortable setting. We have always had a time of family devo­tions after tea and I have been surprised at the impression it has made on various folk over the years. I remember the unexpected reaction of a young rugby billet Moham­med, from England we had staying for two nights. He was so impressed that we were reading and discussing the Bible as a family that he was going to suggest to his father that they also read the Bible as a family each day.

About 9 years ago a young couple who we knew slightly asked us to look after their newborn baby for a number of weeks. I wondered how I would cope as we had my mother-in-law suffer­ing with Alzheimer's living with us at the time. Other people were great and relieved me but the joy and pleasure Oma got from holding that wee baby was worth the stress and it did seem as though we had an angel visiting us. We have been able to share so much about the love of God with this couple because we were able to help them at that time.

Hospitality of course is not restricted to families reaching out. It is a ministry available to all ages and stages. I remember a brave young bachelor inviting our family of seven for Sunday tea. It was much appreciated by us but I do remember his bemusement as he realized we had eaten his week's supply of bread.

Our labour is not in vain in the Lord. Remem­ber the words of Christ from Matthew 25:35, 40,

I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me I was in prison and you came to visit me ... I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.