Cooking is hard. It is a skill that I have never been good with. I do it because my family has to eat, but the outcome could be better. My husband has a knack for the kitchen and will admit that he is the better cook in our relationship. He can effortlessly make a delicious meal without batting an eye. He loves to add his own flare to recipes, and 99.9% of the time, it turns out amazing. However, he can’t cook every night, so I find myself in the kitchen, glued to the recipe card and doing my best to follow the instructions precisely.
It is comical that my struggle in the kitchen is paired with my love for hosting. I skim by when I have time to plan and prepare. It is easy enough to whip together a batch of muffins for my moms group or make a fresh pot of coffee when my cousin stops in on his way to work. And there is no pressure for a luxurious meal if I ever have to prepare lunch for a sister who visits longer than anticipated.
If I ever find myself in a situation where I am hosting a larger or more complex meal, I pull out all of the stops and find myself holding my breath until the meal is over. Even though it is difficult for me, I always feel fulfilled knowing that I was able to open my home to someone. I was allowed to love someone and serve them the way the Lord desires, using a gift He designed for me.
Hospitality truly is a gift from the Lord. It is a charism that I have learned how to foster over the years. Only recently have I made its connection to a few of my favorite stories in the bible—one of which being the story of Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law.
“After he left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.” -Luke 38-39
She was just lying in bed with a severe fever. After experiencing the healing hand of Christ, she began serving her guests. I resonate with her desire for the people within her home to feel loved and to know they are wanted there. What a beautiful testimony to using her hospitality gift, and what an honor for her to serve the Lord.
The charism of hospitality is an invitation to serve the guests who enter my home as though they are Jesus Christ. It may not always be convenient or require additional sacrifice, but it is a beautiful opportunity to love each person who enters through the front door. It is an opportunity to create a space for each person to encounter Christ through my hands of service.
Loving Jesus,
You call us to love one another. One great way we can do this is through showing hospitality to each other. By your grace, may our homes become places where life-changing fellowship and discipleship occur. Lord, help us to create homes where people always feel welcomed and loved. Help us to always be prepared to show hospitality to someone in need. Please teach us not only to invite people when it is convenient to do so but to also be willing to open our doors, even during times when hospitality feels tiring and burdensome. Invite us to open our doors when there are people who we would rather not serve, or when showing hospitality requires a costly sacrifice of our time, money, and resources. You call us to love one another, may we do so by opening our homes lovingly and responsively.
-Prayer for Hospitality written by Stephen Wong, FaithWriters
Until next time, your sister in Christ,
Abby