1 Peter 4:8-10, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
It was a long holiday weekend and the card came in the mail. A beautiful card, simply signed, “Virginia.”
She wrote a note that began: Dear Friends. Dear friends? How can she call us “dear friends” when we always seem to be so busy? We’re coming and going, our house is packed with 3 kids and their teenage friends. Our lives are sometimes utter chaos, as we barely wave to her when we pass her house. Aren’t dear friends ones who have regular access to our lives? Who are there with you in thick and thin? I was so touched by the sincerity of this card .
Then the phone call came. A message was left by Virginia saying, “I’m home now!” The sad part is I wasn’t even aware that she was gone. It was at that point that I began to feel convicted, because this generous woman clearly loved and needed our family more than we knew.
A few months before the phone call, a cheese ball and crackers showed up at our door on Christmas Eve. Beautifully presented, and again, another lovely card written to … Dear Friends.
Virginia’s gift for hospitality has blessed our family now for 4 years. When we moved into this home, I went around our neighborhood introducing myself and our family. I exchanged phone numbers and in Virginia’s case, I told her if she EVER needed anything to call me. And she has several times, and we have helped her in various ways.
The word “hospitality” seems to be a scary word for many. Because in our busyness I believe we are fearful of a commitment, or a taking away from “us” time. Or we think of its meaning only as a “potluck dish,” or the hosting of a huge party. The blessing of hospitality, and I’ve tried to teach it to my children, can be as simple as taking a piece of leftover cake or pie to your neighbor. Or making sandwiches for the homeless once a week in the park. It’s this kind of hospitality that doesn’t have anything to do with whether you have a home, the state of your home, or the expectations in your home.
It has nothing to do with gourmet food, a perfect home, or even perfect timing. It sometimes starts with a spark, thinking about others first, and then acting on that idea by following through with a blessing.
Commandment 1 (of my Ten Commandments of Hospitality) in my new book is very simple: Hospitality is not about you. It’s about making others feel warm and welcome.
It’s about friendliness, a caring attitude, and sometimes that means putting the grumbling aside – all ways of showing love and revealing God’s grace.
When’s the last time you reached out to someone in need, or do you get hung up by complicating the beauty and simplicity of hospitality?
Top photo: The imperfect cake that my daughter made to share with our neighbors.
By Sandy, Reluctant Entertainer
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So true, thank-you for that reminder. Sometimes it is so easy to think that we can’t – for whatever reason, that I forget it just takes something little to make a person feel special and show love and hospitality to them.
Hospitality is not about me–that’s how I can stop the insecurity, the what-will-they-think, isn’t it? That is a much better plan than cuter napkins! 🙂 Thank you, Sandy!
It’s scary to step out and reach out, and to be kind…especially to people I don’t know, yet. This past year my family and I moved into a new neighborhood in a town that we were raised in, and we are growing up as we courageously extend a hello or deliver baked goods to welcome a new family to the street, even when we haven’t been as warmly welcomed as newbies as maybe we’d have liked or hoped. A handful of new friends have been made from the courage to be kind, and it’s us that is blessed most. It isn’t about saying “look at me”…it’s about recognizing that we need those connections and so we extend…hospitality. The “what will they think (about me)” is sometimes (okay, often) such a loud question, and the forging ahead with faith to believe this is important…*this is worship*!
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I love these ideas. They really ring true. It’s not about the house or the schedule. It’s about noticing the other person and sharing a moment with them. In our modern rush, many of us have forgotten to do that, or that it matters much.
I loved this post, had to come over from Facebook to read the whole thing. 🙂
By the way, I listed your book as one of my “Favorites of 2010”, very well written and enjoyable!
Soooo good.
I needed to read this. I so over-complicate it all. My selfishness doesn’t help the matter.
I’m so glad you posted this. It rocks. And it encourages me to act on those little sparks.
Blessings,
Kate 🙂
What a great reminder. It is convicting…I often think my life is too busy for hospitality, but that is so wrong. Thanks for a great post! As for the cake photo…YUM! =)
Thank you for the reminder. I so appreciate the heartfelt sharing.
Your daughter’s cake is beautiful, the reflection of a love filled heart.
Thank you. I too am “too busy” sometimes and don’t feel as though I have time to invite people over. I guess I never realized that I can be hospitable outside of my home too! That is a DUH moment 🙂
You know, I don’t think that cake is imperfect at all! Look at the carefully sculpted waves your daughter put in the middle – made with love makes it perfect!
Just the other day I brought a friend and her hubby a pot of chicken soup and some bread. Very simple, but she had/has pneumonia and while she said they didn’t need anything, I felt compelled to bring them a hearty soup. They appreciated it.
About a month ago, my hubby picked up an older gentleman in town who needed a ride somewhere. He didn’t know him , but was aware he was in need of a ride. When they arrived at the old mans house, the man invited my hubby in to see his collection of hammer heads. Hubby took the time to chat with him about his life…those things make all the difference.
Beautiful post!
A few weeks ago my husband’s aunt & uncle had me over for dinner while he’s been away at school. We watched some movies afterward and had a great time. I wanted to return the favor. They weren’t in need of anything but I know they’re doing weightwatchers and trying to eat healthy.
So, I whipped a dozen of two kinds of muffins filled with raw sugar, whole wheat flour, no oil/butter and healthy ingredients. I was taken back by her reaction, she was so thrilled and I could tell that the delivery of home baked goods to their home doesn’t happen often, as they are usually the hosts. It was my privelege to bless them with food. 🙂
Sandy, I knew this was going to be you when I started reading. Thank you for always encouraging me in the area of hospitality.
This post was so meaningful to me that I did a post sending my readers here to read it!!
Sandy, what a beautiful article about opening our homes to others and sharing hospitality. It really spoke to me also!
I would love a big slice of that “imperfection” with a glass of milk! Sounds perfect to me!!!
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Hello my sweet friend!
I just met a woman who recently moved to our area. Her husband works in Hawaii two weeks out of every month and she is alone in a new town with their 18 month old. She was diagnosed this week with mono and faces a long illness with no one around to help. I’m already rallying our mothers group to see what we can do for her in terms of meals and playdates. No one should have to go through something like that all alone!
Thank you for your daily reminders that beauty is every where, in every simple thing…