The Bounty of Hospitality
By now, most are deeply embroiled in decorating, assembling of presents, baking of cookies, and all of the merrymaking (and sometimes entrapments) of the holiday season. Many have longstanding Christmas traditions and others are just starting to make new ones. In any case, hospitality will be practiced in many ways. You may be hosting the main family Christmas Day meal, preparing Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, having relatives staying with you from out of town, or just having your book club over for an afternoon tea and gift exchange.
The word “hospitality” comes from the Latin word “hospes.” Interestingly, in Latin, that is the word for both “host” and “guest.” This implies a mutual nature in which both parties play a role. It is a give and take relationship. When we are a host, we wish for our guests to be comfortable, happy, well fed, and entertained. When we are a guest, we must be gracious, appreciative, receptive, and tolerant. Hospitality can and does involve entertaining, but hospitality is not entertaining. It is more so a mindset. There is no perfect way to implement hospitality. When in doubt, err on the side of simplicity. Be perceptive of the needs and feelings of your guests, but know they will be more comfortable if you are not stressed. I Peter 4:8-9 says, And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. (NKJV) If you are receiving guests this holiday season, please know, they won’t remember what they received. They will remember how they were received.
On a grander scale, hospitality encompasses so much more. God calls upon us to be hospitable to our fellow man. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. (Romans 12:13 NLT) We do this by serving and loving our neighbors. There are so many lonely people in this world. It is even possible for people to be surrounded by others and still be lonely. They may lack real connection or have low self-worth, anxiety, and difficulty fitting in. Christmas and the holiday season can intensify this feeling. Any and every small gesture can make a big difference in someone’s life. Even a smile in passing can tell them that they are seen.
“But I am the one in need of hospitality.” Do you feel this way? Being hospitable to others is the gift that gives back to you. Just thinking of others and seeing how they are uplifted can be the most uplifting thing for you. Hebrews 13:2 says, Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! (NLT) Do you know someone in your neighborhood who is largely shut in? Take them a container of soup or some cookies with a Christmas wish. One day I was purchasing some soft-pretzels. Well, it made more sense to purchase a big quantity (so much more economical). When I got home and realized how silly that was, I took some to neighbors. A simple thing, but again, hospitality is a mind set. Jesus said, But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just. (Luke 14:13-14 NKJV)
At all times, but especially in this Christmas season, be cognizant of the needs of those around you. You don’t have to have great means to make a difference. Just remember to love on each other. One small act of kindness can make a world of difference to someone else. See people, be present, and be genuine. That is all it takes for you to show hospitality. The Apostle Paul in Romans 15:7 (NKJV) says, Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
