Before my husband and I embarked on leading our first small group, we consistently prayed that our group would have a mutual affection for one another. We wanted everyone to care for each person despite our many differences and preferences for how community should be. Why did we focus on this so much? Because we knew “the welcome” was just as important as the Bible verse we studied when it came to sharing life with the family of God.
Just like our biological family, the family of God is often made up of people who may not be easy to love and serve. There are always people who will rub you the wrong way or see the world differently than you do. So, we decided to combat these disparities with biblical hospitality.
We sat our group down and asked them to take ownership of “welcom[ing] one another, just as Christ also welcomed you” (Romans 15:7). When a new face walked into our small group, someone would take them under their wing and bring them into the conversation. If someone needed prayer, many would offer to sit with them after formal discussion to pray. When someone was confused about Scripture, others gently helped them interpret the passage. The welcome each person received was a “consideration for his neighbor” (Proverbs 21:10), as each of us learned to build each other up.
Some may read this and think it’s an ideal, unattainable vision of sharing life together, but that’s the beauty of God’s people being together. It was God’s power working through our hospitality to not only encourage those of us in the group but to be a light to all those who came and went over the years (Matthew 5:14). Things were not always perfect, but our consistent love for one another covered “a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). After five years, it became clear that the family of God was experienced best when we all used our gifts to serve one another.
Yet often, we assume the family of God is about us. We struggle to love the person in the group whose comments annoy us. We get frustrated when a sister or brother in Christ falls back into sin after discipling them for months. We grow resistant to change when others decide to bring new people into the community. This is why the family of God is dependent on Jesus’s hospitality and not our own. Jesus did not come to serve and rescue those who were like Him. If so, none of us would have found belonging in the family of God. But Jesus came to rescue everyone, which allows us to fully extend ourselves in service to anyone.
Our hospitality—our heart welcome—differentiates us from the welcome of the world; for we find life in giving it away and laying it down for the good of others.
CHURCH MOUSE – I love that reminder. Hospitality is seeing and connecting. It doesn’t take a perfect space or a lovely spread of food.
My mom always said (in the midst of raising 6 kids), “if I waited until my house was perfect to invite people over, I’d never have anyone here.” And she never has. Simple brunches of waffles after church or friends of her children sitting at the counter to talk while she prepped dinner. She has modeled simply inviting people in. And her legacy has passed on to the 2nd and 3rd generation. ❤️
So much honesty in these comments. Thank you for sharing your hearts, She’s.
I am making my way home after a wedding out of state where my brother (5th of 6 siblings) married his beautiful bride. The practice of hospitality for those closest to you in the midst of high stress situations can be especially difficult. Trying to balance all the people challenged me (and I definitely failed at times).
BUT GOD…
In the midst of mistakes and prioritizing incorrectly God showed up with love and blessings. Speaking love to the bride and groom. Sweet connections with friends and family from around the country. We are truly blessed beyond measure. I can only hope that I left tokens of grace in my wake.
Now as I spend the last couple days of our trip with our little brood, I take a moment to refocus. God, help me to love and enjoy and serve my husband and three girls. May our presence wherever we are bring your light and joy to strangers as we travel. To God be the glory.
❤️
When I think of hospitality I often think of those with Martha Stewart skills. I’m not the best baker or interior designer and I’m most definitely not at all crafty. Our four year old granddaughter was here today. She climbed up beside me and I said “Jenna, what would you like to do today? “ She replied, ” Mimi, let’s just sit here and talk together. That’s what you do best. ” Out of the mouths of babes. Everyone has a story and perhaps an act of hospitality is to just sit and listen and converse with whoever is nearby. Check your cell phone at the door and just chat. Not with any agenda. Just to get to know them. So that’s what Jenna and I did today. We didn’t make a gingerbread house. We didn’t play a board game. We just talked. It was a very interesting conversation because Jenna, as a four year old, has a very unique opinion on fairness, right and wrong, her favorite book and “the best day ever.” Yep, it was this one where we just sat and talked. “Hospitality” crossing the generations!
Paused to ponder after reading these words from Tina, today, “Heart welcomes could be difficult, but they don’t have to be, when you have God. He will guide you”. Lord Almighty to need this reminder & mantra as we enter the holiday season. I alternate between envy, resentment, confusion, miscommunication, stress & anxiety over my 39-year old stepdaughter who lives nearby & clings & cleaves to my husband, her dad. I experience her as a “taker”, not a giver. Calling & texting him almost daily over the tiniest, in my mind, issue. She & her brother were raised by my husband as a single dad & the story is she was emotionally & physically abandoned by her biological mother at age 3. I married her dad when she was 9. I have rarely felt accepted & included. I know intellectually I should be a bigger & better person, able to swat down my feelings, to remain calm & centered. But it hurts & creates a wedge between her dad & me. I strive & maybe overdo in being generous, with time & money, but still feel left out & bypassed emotionally. Is there a way to see beyond & hold to the truth & hope of God in this season of Thanksgiving & Advent? I welcome prayer & encouragement & call to love “in spite of”. Please pardon the great length & space I’ve taken in this, my very FIRST post!
I find it hard to love the unlovely. This was definitely a call to do exactly that
This really spoke to me today and how to help adjust my view in other things I’m involved in that are not faith based, but human based. To offer hospitality and light the way!!
I just got some great news and had to share here. My mom (who is immunocompromised) got her vaccine and booster. For work she had to take a test and it showed that she was exposed to COvID about 2 weeks ago but she never got sick with any symptoms. Her antibody levels from the vaccine are super high , I am just praising God for protecting her from what could have been a very poor outcome using the vaccine.