Hospitality

How often do you think about hospitality? I mean, we all appreciate people who are truly hospitable, but how often do we think about it? How often do we pray for God to give us hospitality as a gift? How often do we think about hospitality as a spiritual dimension of who God desires us to be?

Paul encourages hospitality in his writings and even expresses appreciation for some who have shown it to him. In Romans 12 hospitality is in some pretty good company

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is
good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly 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 God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.

We experienced hospitality twice today. For lunch we joined Georgia Jones and some of her family and friends at her house. The food was good, and it was really neat be with all of them... especially Georgia's guad grandkids.... but perhaps the best aspect of our visit was just the comfortable ease that characterized our time there. Everyone was totally comfortable, and some of us had just met each other for the first time. I believe that's a result of Georgia's gift for hospitality influencing all who were there.

This evening we joined a whole bunch of teens at Brian and Laura Lescure's house for a cookout and swim party. It's sooo obvious that they love all those kids... they share their home and lives with them in so many ways. That's just who they are.

Hospitality... one more way to spell the love of Jesus.