Living Hospitality

By Pam Jones

Hospitality is a forgotten art today.

Maybe it is because we are extremely busy or don’t have extra money. Whatever the reason, it is time to return to a lifestyle of hospitality. It is important to remember that hospitality goes beyond entertainment, which emphasizes the host. Hospitality puts the emphasis on others and strives to meet their needs. True hospitality is not limited to our homes but takes place anywhere you encounter a need, from the homeless person on the corner to a needy family in your church. It is a ministry, and Scripture lists hospitality among the spiritual gifts (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9-10).

While you may not have the ability to sing or teach, you may have (and develop) the gift of hospitality. Your first attempts might be a total disaster. Mine were terrible. I dumped half a saltshaker into my spaghetti sauce and fried chicken with oil that tasted like it had been out of date for years. But I quickly realized it wasn’t about the food I served but the love I was showing. Soon, my whole attitude about hospitality was transformed.

The most compelling motivation for hospitality is to demonstrate God’s love. Few things make guests feel more honored than sharing a meal in your home. They will open their hearts to you as you open your home to them. One caution, however: if you do not truly care about people, do not invite them into your home. They will see right through it. Never use hospitality to get something.

It is a ministry, not a pyramid scheme.

The most important reason for hospitality is that Scripture mandates it (Romans 12:13). It is listed as one of the qualifications for a pastor/elder in Titus 1:8 and 1 Timothy 3:2. Even “true widows” in the Early Church were required to demonstrate hospitality (1 Timothy 5:10). Imagine the impact if all the widows and widowers in the worldwide Church would return to the ministry of hospitality; the world would once again be turned upside down for Christ.

My favorite Scripture about hospitality is found in Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Be careful how you treat strangers, because God may have sent them your way for a heavenly appointment with you.
Jesus showed hospitality to everyone He met—the woman at the well (a stranger); Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (good friends); and His family. His actions remind us that the blessing of hospitality is not only found in giving and caring for people who can reciprocate but in ministering to those who cannot. When Jesus trained His disciples to be hospitable, He instructed them to invite the poor, maimed, lame, and blind to dinner because they could not pay them back.

Jesus ministered with a spiritual touch, but He also met basic human needs. This ministry was important to Him. How will we ever reach someone for Christ until they experience His love through us? We often discount the power of a loving touch, a friendly meal, or a word of encouragement to people hurting and in need. But these simple acts of hospitality have the potential to change the world.

About the Writer: Pam Jones is serving alongside her husband Tommy as a church planter in Pennsylvania. They have three grown daughters and five grandchildren. Visit www.HomeMissions.net for more about the Jones and their ministry.