Why Don't You?
- Why Don't You Talk About The Sermon? (1)
- Go on a short-term mission trip? (2)
- Serve On A Camp (3)
- Why don't you practise hospitality? (5)
Have you heard the phrase ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle?’ I wonder if the same applies to a Welshman’s, or a Welshwoman’s home? What springs to mind when we think of our home as a castle? Maybe we think of a place of security or a refuge; somewhere where we can be safe.
Castles are seen to be impregnable sanctuaries, safe from the disturbances of the world. What happens when we let down the drawbridge and welcome, even encourage, others to enter into our ‘castles’ and our ‘safe spaces’? We can be blessed! We are, after all, following the example of so many before us, including the Lord himself.
The Bible encourages us to ‘share with God’s people who are in need: practise hospitality’ (Rom. 12:13) and ‘offer hospitality to one another without grumbling’ (1 Pet. 4:9). One of the requirements for leadership in the local church is that leaders are ‘given to hospitality’ (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit 1:8). Let’s look at some biblical examples of hospitality.
Using what we have to bless others
In Acts 16, Lydia uses her wealth to bless others. God allowed Lydia’s journey to wonderfully ‘coincide’ with that of Paul’s, not only resulting in her conversion and that of her whole family but Paul and his companions are also blessed with her hospitality and a temporary home. Our money and possessions are not ours; they belong to the Lord. Why not use what he has given us to bless others?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Lord allows someone quite unexpectedly into our lives with life-changing consequences, both for ourselves and our families?
Showing wonderful kindness
David showed wonderful kindness to Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9. This was God’s wonderful kindness. Not only did David go looking for someone to bless, but on finding him, invited him to eat at his table always. David gave Mephibosheth a home for life and even more wonderful was the fact that Mephibosheth would never be able to repay such kindness.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to bless someone who will never be in any position to reward our kindness?
Entertaining angels unawares
In Genesis 18 Abraham hurries to welcome his unexpected guests, not only meeting their basic needs, but also offering a meal without any idea of the purpose of their visit. It was a meeting he and Sarah would not forget in a hurry!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if by opening our homes and our hearts to strangers, we might even be ‘entertaining angels unawares’ (Heb. 13:2)?
Sharing our lives
Jesus was found at the centre of hospitality, cooking breakfast for the disciples, enjoying dinners with the most unlikely of guests, sharing a very significant supper with his disciples, supplying needs at large picnics and even attending a wedding reception. This was when Jesus met people, spent time with them, got to know them and shared his very life with them. What an example we have to follow!
We read of Jesus’ visits to Bethany, the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, a place where Jesus and those accompanying him could always be assured of a safe place to rest, to be fed and to be welcomed. One particular visit recorded in John 11 proved to be ‘over and above anything they could have ever asked or imagined!’
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if sharing our homes and our lives might be the means of someone being brought from death to life? That would be over and above anything we could have ever asked or imagined (Eph. 3:20).
Hospitality is not serving a five course meal or having the best dinnerware on display. It’s about offering a warm, welcoming safe space, for whoever the Lord brings along. It’s not so much about giving what we have, but giving who we are.
