How To Do Hospitality

Welcome to all our new followers. I hope you will be encouraged in your walk with the Lord.

Some people are just given to being hospitable – some are not. If you fall into the second group never fear because there is hope for you.

Being hospitable can be learned. So even if you’ve never seen it modeled and feel totally incapable you can learn some simple ways that will help you enjoy welcoming people into your home.

After my recent article on hospitality  I talk about preparing for overnight guests.

In The Chaos in our Homes Begins in our Hearts  I discuss the difference between hospitality and entertainment and the difference between dirty dirt and clean dirt. Learning these differences will change the way you look at hospitality.

Being hospitable is a heart attitude. I’ve felt totally welcomed in very humble homes and in very beautiful homes. It isn’t the house that makes you feel comfortable, it’s the heart of the one welcoming you. It’s putting aside the thoughts about yourself, your thoughts about your perceived failures and shortcomings, to focus on the person who is visiting you.

©Holley Gerth

You don’t have to have to be able to produce a fancy dessert or delectable beverage to be hospitable.

Scripture says:

“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold [water] only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42 KJV

Sometimes that is all that is necessary, a glass of water, a listening ear, or a small kindness goes a long way towards being hospitable.

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A new mom unexpectedly knocked on my door one day. She was totally distraught. Her baby wouldn’t nurse and she was beside herself. My house was a mess. We lived in a small apartment and I had a small washer that I pulled into the kitchen and hooked up to the faucet to do laundry. Dirty clothes piles were spread out into the dining area. I was in no way prepared to handle this.

I took a deep breath, said a quick prayer and assessed the situation. We talked for a few minutes. Then I felt I knew what to do. I set up my bedroom by closing the blinds so the room was dimly lit, I set up the play pen, put a glass of iced water on the night stand beside a Bible and invited my friend into my room. There she could rock her baby to calm him, nurse him and put him down for a nap. Then she could rest herself and feed her soul on the Word.

A few hours later a new person walked out of my bedroom – refreshed and ready to go home.

All it takes is a willing heart to show hospitality. How have you shown hospitality to a friend?

Questions? Leave them in the comments.

Next I will write about how you handle too much drop in company. All the neighbors want your kids to play but you are trying to homeschool. You don’t have time to manage your home well and visit for hours each day. Can you say no when someone comes to your door to visit?

Hospitality Part 1

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