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The topic was hospitality. Not my best trait. The word "hospitality" brings to mind visions of a table with freshly cut flowers on it, little china plates, a hostess in a crisp, floral apron, sporting a face that has fresh make-up on it (not too much and not too little...) and every hair in place; a real live Martha Stewart, if you will. Perhaps one of the most vivid images is that of the aforementioned hostess with a lipsticked smile and eyes so warm with personality that it would make the Sahara seem like the North Pole in comparison. And don't worry about what time of day you show up on her doorstep; it could be 3:00 am and she'd have a fresh batch of poppy seed muffins coming out of the oven, coincidentally at the very moment you arrived. You don't need to call ahead. Her house is already neat as a pin (no, really...and CLEAN, too)...
No...I'm sure of it...hospitality just isn't my gift. I don't have to think very long at all, and I can dredge up memories of panic-stricken moments upon realizing my in-laws were on their way over...and my desperate attempts to make my humble abode presentable enough for entertaining company. I'm sure if you asked my daughters they would tell you how much fun those 2-minute "taking the house by storm" cleanings were with their mother suddenly losing touch with reality...and how damaged they are as a result of it...
Ok...so anyway...we were talking about the "H" word on Sunday. And BAM...all of a sudden, he started to change my thinking patterns. Just WHO does he think he is, that pastor of mine, thinking he can just walk in and change a lifetime of thought patterns in 30 minutes???
I guess I may have mis-labeled "hospitality" all these years. My definition of hospitality, as described above, is actually entertaining, not hospitality at all. Yes...entertaining...that's more like Martha Stewart...and while there are people in this world who definitely have some sort of a gift for entertaining (bless them), everyone is expected to be hospitable, gift or no gift.
Well then, what is Christ inviting us to when he instructs us to practice hospitality??
After all the sermon-dust had settled, we came up with a pretty good definition of hospitality. Basically, hospitality is making room in my life for someone else. This could have all kinds of implications in my life, among which might be uncluttering my schedule enough to have room for others. This concept also makes it clear that "hospitality" is not simply entertaining. While it is true that hospitality could involve a nice dinner prepared to share, there are also many other ways I can think of to practice "hospitality" in my life. What are some ways I can be hospitable...or make room in my life for others? I could -
- intentionally sit by someone in church who I don't know or who may appear lonely
- actually stop on the sidewalk when I see someone I know...and sincerely inquire as to how their day is going
- take a hot meal to that family with a new baby
- listen when someone needs to talk...even if I had something else planned for that period of time
You get the idea...
Wow...that concept is truly transforming for me. You mean my house doesn't have to look perfect if I invite someone over for soup and biscuits?
The really cool thing here is that all of the above newly acquired knowledge wasn't even the best part. My mind was preparing to take me somewhere even better.
Sitting in my pew, I began to reflect on a little book that I've been familiar with for years, entitled, "My Heart, Christ's Home." In this little book, my heart is compared to an actual dwelling with many different rooms...and what Christ sees has he wanders in and out of each room. Suddenly it hit me...my heart, Christ's home - hospitality...
Yes, I have invited Christ into my "home" (my heart) to live...but how hospitable and welcoming am I? Do I always truly want Him there, or are there other things taking up the "space" of my life that keep Him out on the fringes?
I believe that hospitality, as it has been described above, is possible - both toward other people around me and toward Christ. And...the beautiful thing about this is that as I am more and more hospitable with Christ, allowing Him more and more "space" in my life, I believe I will naturally become more and more genuinely hospitable with people around me.
May it be so...
