I think that the ministry of hospitality is too often misunderstood, underused, and overlooked. It is the act of allowing someone the gift of sacred space and quality time but people often equate it with a clean house and a lot of cooking.The fact is that it is easy to equate hospitality to Martha the busybody from Luke 10 but Jesus pointed out that it was Mary sitting at his feet listening intently to his every word who actually demonstrated it better.
Hospitality is…
– offering someone the gift of quality time
– making someone feel comfortable/valuable even in their own home
– offering someone a cup of coffee and good conversation to go with it
– a listening ear and a closed mouth
– caring for others’ needs before they have to ask for it
– more about “being” with someone than “doing” something for them, although both can apply
I know many people who have ministered through the typical definition of hospitality, an open home and an open heart, there have also been those times when others have gone above and beyond and the overall effect cannot be diminished.
Some examples are…
– putting an old orange recliner in the sanctuary in order to make it possible for a woman with
cancer to worship with us
– sitting with someone on their deathbed so her son could get some rest before the inevitable
– showing up at someone’s house with groceries and/or a willingness to clean
– sitting next to a newcomer at church rather than in the comfort of your close circle of friends
– asking someone how they are doing and then taking the time to listen for the real answer
– a hug
– praying with someone rather than simply for someone
– being willing to do extra cleaning after the fact in order to not require extra effort (taking off
shoes, keeping drinks in the kitchen/foyer, etc.) from others when they are welcomed in
– thinking more of the comfort of others than self
– child proofing (at least to a degree) even if you don’t have kids
– sitting in silence even when it’s awkward as long as it is valuable to another
– learning to communicate with someone from another generation, culture, etc. rather than waiting
for them to learn your ways and your customs in order to find a way to fit in
– showing concern for and attending to someone’s physical and emotional needs before
worrying about the state of their spirituality or citizenship
– waiting, watching, and welcoming
These are just some of the acts of hospitality that I am personally aware of (and more often than not on the receiving end) and I’m sure there are many more to be discovered and tried so, rather than holding onto a narrow definition, let’s expand it together and be Jesus to everyone we come in contact with.
I would love to hear ways that you too have either shown or been shown hospitality and I there is anything else you would add to the working definition. Please respond and share…
MinistryIsArt 