It may seem strange to talk about hospitality while in the middle of a pandemic, however, we are to show hospitality to others, no matter the circumstances. I am not telling you to put yourselves in harm’s way, in direct contact with someone who has COVID, but we can still find ways to be hospitable. Jesus tells us to show hospitality to others. Read Matthew 25:34-40 below:
Then the King will say to those on His right, come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;naked and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers or Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
We should be known for our hospitality. Unfortunately, Christians are often known as being skinflints and controlling. To help pay my way through undergraduate school, I waitressed during the summers. We all hated waitressing on Sunday afternoons. We knew our customers were most likely coming in after church, and we would have to work doubly hard. It seems that these ‘Christian” customers often wanted exceptions to the menu, didn’t want to pay more for substitutions, wanted their meals immediately, even though it was a sit down restaurant, and then left very little for a tip. These people, by their behavior, showed no hospitality to the waiters and waitresses. On the contrary, we loved having Asian customers and smokers (this was back when you were allowed to smoke in a restaurant) because they were the best tippers. I’m not saying, that Christians aren’t called to be good stewards of the money God gives us, but that does not mean shorting people who deserve to be paid.
Being hospitable may mean having an open home. By this I mean, that anyone is welcome, no matter who they are. It may not always be convenient, but it is the right thing to do. Being hospitable isn’t just a gift of those with means. In fact, Paul writes in Romans that showing hospitality is a way of showing love to others. See what he has to say in Romans 12:9-13
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
What if you aren’t able to have an open home because you or someone in your home has health issues that could lead to complications, if you or they contracted COVID? We can still practice the spirit of hospitality by having zeal and spiritual fervor when we serve others. This means we need to get creative in our hospitality. Here are a few ways to show hospitality while limiting actual contact.
- Post music on social media. I find music can lift you up, but it can also depress you. I choose Christian rock to help inspire. I also really like Celtic music. If you go to
www.pandora.com, you can find both types of music, plus all genres of music to fit any taste. - Be an encourager.
- Use the phone to actually call someone and talk. You can also facetime with friends and family.
- Bake something, and put it on your neighbor’s doorstep. Go home and text them of the surprise.
- Go down your list of contacts and text a positive note to everyone.
- Send a notecard to friends and neighbors.
- Use this down time to study God’s word in-depth. This will not only help you, but God will give you opportunities to show you how He wants you to show hospitality .
- Order food from a home delivery service such as Grub Hub and have it delivered to a friend’s house.
- If you have friends and family who are out of work at this time, help them with the process of searching for a new job.
- Buy groceries for elderly neighbors so they don’t have to go out and risk exposure.
- Pray for others, both Believers and Nonbelievers whom God has placed in your life.
Being able to show hospitality is not only a spiritual gift to be cultivated, it is also a great gift from God. My mother was gifted in this way. It was a privilege to learn from her. When she entertained, she brought out the best china and silver. She made sure the food was delicious and in plenty. I remember her saying, “Never send a guest away hungry.” In fact, mom always sent food home with guests. Even if we just had family over for dinner, mom gave her best. We can learn from her. The scriptures say that when we are being hospitable to others, we are being hospitable to Jesus, and possibly entertaining angels. Think about that! Maybe you have entertained angels! How absolutely cool is that?!
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
I know being hospitable doesn’t necessarily mean you need to bring out the best china and rich food, but it does mean being open to being kind to strangers, offering our homes as a safe haven to those in need, being flexible when someone shows up right at dinner unannounced, and making those in your home feel relaxed and comfortable. It means giving the best you have, even if it is only a bowl of bean soup and a place to sit and talk.
The thing about hospitality is that the one being hospitable often receives the most. How fun it is to be vested in the lives of others if only for a couple of hours. You get to be part of what’s going on in the world outside of your little home. Guests often bring great stories of adventures and places of things only imagined in our lives. Hosts get to live full lives through their guests and provide a time of comfort under their roofs. Being hospitable is an act of kindness that truly gives immediate warm fuzzies not only to those who are being shown hospitality, but also to the person being hospitable.
If hospitality is not currently one of your spiritual gifts, I encourage you to cultivate it through the help of the Holy Spirit. If we can learn to show hospitality through these difficult times, how much easier it will be once the pandemic has run its course. Be kind by being hospitable this week.
Photo Credit: A couple using their favorite video conferencing platform Photo credit Prostock-Studio / Getty Images
