Here are some dictionary definitions of Hospitality:
- An instance of cordial and generous treatment of guests.
- Kindness in welcoming strangers or guests.
- Receptiveness
So to be hospitable we are going to be polite, generous, kind and open to both people we know and people that we don't know. It would seem that normally it would be in your home (they are your guests) but it wouldn't have to be.
When we check out what the Greek words mean in verses like Romans 12:13 which says: "contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality" we find it is that word Philoxenia which means: love to strangers, hospitality.
What sticks out to me when I think about this is that Hospitality is truly about thinking about others. How can we make them feel welcomed and loved and over and over in what I am seeing the concept of showing this to strangers (somebody we don't know!) is brought up too. So as we talk about hospitality I am hoping to remember to focus on our need to think about others and forget about ourselves (and our house) and also how we might be able to extend hospitality not just to friends and family but also to strangers.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this!
2 comments:
I think a great example of strangers in our house, has been times that we have welcomed Mormon Missionaries or Jehovah's Witnesses Missionaries into our home for coffee or tea.
One Thanksgiving when I was in college, right before dinner with more than 20 guests, LDS Mormon Missionaries knocked on my parents' door. My dad welcomed them in and my father's strict Roman Catholic family and our little Methodist family, broke bread with two Mormon college students far from home on their Mission. It was by far our most special Thanksgiving. :)
We have found that reaching out to international college students has been a fun way to entertain strangers. It has been a blessing to us. That is neat to hear of your experience with that as well.
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