Information Related to "True Hospitality"
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True Hospitality By Robert Berendt Hospitality seems to be a lost art in our modern times, but we must learn to offer something of ourselves to others. Not everyone shows hospitality in the same way, but we must learn to share as God has shared with us.
everal scriptures from God's Word, the Bible, show us God expects the characteristic of hospitality to be part of the heart of His children. We read in 1 Peter 4:9 that we are to "be hospitable to one another without grumbling." Titus 1:8 and 1 Timothy 3:2 list hospitality as part of the work and function of a minister. In Romans 12:13 Paul wrote we are to be "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality." Paul also wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." And in verse 12: "We command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread." Clearly we can see the concept of hospitality has two sides: offering it and receiving it. Hospitality is defined as "being kind to strangers, and being welcoming and generous toward guests." A responsibility also lies with any guest not to take advantage of the hospitality that is offered. Proverbs 23:1-2 admonishes a guest to "put a knife to your throat" when dining as a guest. Do not overeat and thus abuse the hospitality. Luke 14:10 cites Jesus' words when He said: "When you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'" Thus, we see that a guest has a strong responsibility to use the gift carefully -- always allowing the host to set the pace. Helping those in need When I was a boy, many family members as well as strangers were in need of help. This was right after the war and people were fleeing war-torn Europe and striving to get a fresh start. Our home welcomed family members who had only the pack they could carry. I recall three families who stayed with us. All three found jobs right away and as soon as they could, they found their own place to live. The hospitality of my parents placed a heavy load on the family finances, but it was never regretted because of the wonderful attitudes of those we were able to help. I recall young men who also came and could hardly speak the language. My father would help them find work and feed them until they were settled. This help was never abused. A godly person cannot simply walk past someone who has an obvious need. James 2:16 tells us that.
When no guests were present, the food was meager and the cupboards bare. I learned much later the children resented this "visit" from the clergy and the whole family suffered. We determined to stay in a hotel if at all possible after that time. We were not in need or desperate, so this kind of hospitality may have come from the heart, but was wrongly directed and executed. The motive for this sort of deed was wrong. True hospitality comes from the heart and is not the same for every person.
In Jesus' day, welcoming strangers into a home was common practice. Yet, the Bible tells us there is a time when this is not to be done. In 2 John 7,10-11 it speaks strongly against welcoming a false teacher into your home. Churches were beginning to drift from the truth that Jesus Christ taught. Hospitality was being abused. We are expected by God to use our minds and not to foolishly extend a hand to those who would abuse our gift. Lessons from Martha God inspired a wonderful story to be included in the Bible. Luke 10:38-42 gives us a short story about Jesus' stay at the home of Mary and Martha. It was not only Jesus who would stay. He was accompanied on His travels by the disciples and some women. They would have bedded down in the garden, on the roof and other places, and Martha felt the need to serve this group.
Jesus would never have abused the hospitality offered. In fact, He was a very close family friend. The entire group had the responsibility to know many hands make the work easy, and after Jesus' talk, in all likelihood all would have pitched in to help. Martha learned certain lessons and we too can learn from this story. Hospitality begins in the heart Not everyone is able to show hospitality in exactly the same way. Sometimes past experiences or present needs prevent a person from doing what needs to be done. In that case there may be another way, or another person might be able to do the task. People do have differing gifts and abilities. In the heart is where the concept of hospitality must reside. This is then reflected in the words and deeds of each person.
It makes me wonder sometimes how my father, who had six mouths to feed on a coal miner's salary, could also support and feed so many more who had need. The small amount we had was always just enough. To conclude, it is clear we must all have hospitality in our hearts. We need to understand what hospitality means. The Bible indicates that we ought to use judgment and discernment in our actions and make sure our hearts are not hardened. And when we have the means and the opportunities to do so, we will be blessed indeed if we extend loving hospitality. Visit our Web site at www.ucg.org. You can request free literature or the Good News Magazine, both of which provide excellent resources for you and your family. Copyright 2004 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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