Hospitality

Has anyone ever walked into your house and commented that they immediately felt “at home”? I am not sure about you however, for me it’s the ultimate compliment.

Hospitality is the friendly and generous reception and the feeling of welcome you receive when coming into someone’s home or presence. It is a friendly hello or just a smile which is extended to someone you know, recognise or even the stranger.  Hospitality is the outpouring of love.

What an incredible scripture guiding us on how to love treat each other, and right in the middle of it, at the end of verse 13, we find these two words: Practice hospitality. Not a suggestion but rather a command.

Can I suggest some fears and barriers that we may have around practising hospitality?

1. What if I greet or smile at someone and they don’t reciprocate. I hate that awkward feeling. However, we should ask: What if they do reciprocate? In our family’s experience, we have had more people/strangers reciprocate and this has led to some rich experiences of getting to know them and learning about their culture. We have come away filled with so much joy and beautiful memories. In the past holidays while we were at an airport in a line to buy lunch, we noticed that the tables were full, with little room for others to sit and eat. I spotted a young man all on his own and I said to my husband, “why don’t you ask that young man if we can join him while I purchase lunch?” The young man kindly agreed and by the time I arrived with our lunch, he and my husband were in friendly conversation. He was a Year 11 student from Gianne on the way to spend some holiday time with his sister who lived in another country. We enjoyed a beautiful and priceless time of him sharing his culture and us sharing ours. We left each other richer after sharing contact details and who knows if or when we will meet again.
2. A definite barrier is busyness. We run around focussed so much on the task that we literally don’t see people around us. Some of us even wear our busyness as a badge. It is stealing so much from our lives and the lives of our loved ones. From rushing around the supermarket or dropping the kids off at school or running to the next activity after church, we leave little time to stop and have a cuppa and a conversation. We must see the damage that this is doing to the next generation. They have very few social skills, the simple ones of greeting others, saying thank you or seeing someone in distress and lending a helping hand.
3. When practicing hospitality in our homes, we may feel that our homes are not tidy enough, big enough or good enough. My family home in South Africa is small and not very much by western standards however, the love and hospitality felt there is incredible. You see, when there is warmth and welcome, no one looks around to judge the surroundings, all they do is enjoy the conversation, simple food and laughter. Friendships form and bonds grow deeper, and these last a lifetime.

Some of the benefits of hospitality:

1. It helps build positive relationships with other people. So many people are surrounded by people yet feel lonely inside. Being hospitable connects you with others because you give and receive love.
2. Gives you a different perspective. We are amazingly different as people, having different ways of seeing and experiencing the world around us. Practicing hospitality may help you enlarge how you see other people and your opinions and way of thinking.
3. Reminds you of what you have to offer. We all have different gifts and talents that other people would love to experience.
4. Helps build your support network. When you invite people over, and you start cultivating relationships and friendships, and it does build your support network. It also provides your friends with helpful information that they might need to support you. Your friends can’t secretly drop off a care package on your veranda if they don’t know where you live.
5. Most importantly, you teach your children what it means to be hospitable, to see and care for other people.

A few suggestions:

1. Practice simple hospitality by just beginning to greet those around you. Encourage you children to do the same.
2. Decide to invite someone or a family over for a simple meal or cuppa.
3. In the holidays, encourage your children to invite a friend/s over.
4. Stay longer, even 15 minutes, after church to chat with someone; first someone you know then eventually someone you haven’t yet met.

Remember that hospitality is merely loving the people who God brings us into contact with. Let’s make the world a better place one smile at a time, one “hello” at a time, or one invitation at a time.

Colleen Dutlow
Head of Secondary

Maranatha Christian School

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