Sometimes we have a false sense or a misunderstanding of what being hospitable means. It doesn’t mean throwing lavish parties or basically turning your home into a hostel. Being hospitalable means providing others with a generous and or friendly welcome. Being hospitable means offering a pleasant, welcoming environment to others. It means you are ready and willing to provide a warm welcome to anyone. I mean there’s an entire profession dedicated to Hospitality services which revolves around providing warm welcomes and friendly environments to guest of different kinds of establishments.
As followers of Christ, we are called to be hospitable people without complaining or grumbling about it. Why? Why do we need to be people who provide warm welcomes and friendly environments?
Because this world is a harsh and hard place. People need reprieves form it. They need a place to go to rest or unburden their souls or relax for just a little while. We should provide that to people.
Now, is Peter telling us we need to just be constantly throwing parties or events? Or, open our doors to everyone at all times? No. But what he is saying is that we need to be people who are always looking for the opportunity to be hospitable and we need to be looking for those opportunities with a good attitude – a servant’s heart – not a grumbling resentful attitude.
The real beauty of being hospitable is that isn’t about your house or apartment or wherever you live. It’s about your attitude. Are you kind and warm at work? Do you provide a welcomed attitude to the person who sits next to you on the plane or bus? Do you provide friendly encounters at the grocery store? Do people know you’d be willing to help them out if they need it? The list goes on and on.
Peter isn’t talking about hosting grand baby or wedding showers. He isn’t talking about throwing big luncheons or fancy dinner parties. And although those (if done with the right attitude) would qualify, Peter is talk about an attitude of the heart and how that attitude is demonstrated in your actions. Do people know they can come to you for a welcome, friendly, warm moment? Or do they feel like you’re inconvenienced, uninterested, or too busy to bother with them?
We are called to be hospitable people – to provide others with a friendly pitstop along the way in the harsh cold world. #APurposeDrivenLife #CreatedForMore #CalledToAPurpose
Adonai's Appeal 