God's Gift Of Hospitality

The practice of keeping the Sabbath is not the only God-ordained balancing principle that seems to be lost these days. Another one, which tilts back to the service side of the teeter tooter, is the practice of hospitality. Scripture tells us that in the last day, people will be lovers of themselves. We're called to be givers instead. Over and over in the Bible, we're encouraged to show hospitality by reaching out and giving of ourselves to other, welcoming them into our lives. Peter adds the injunction to do it "without grumbling". OUCH. That last one hits home for me. Paul's exhortation to "practice" hospitality offers me hope that I may one day improve. It's something I struggle with personally-partly because I'm not a very talented housekeeper, but mostly because I'm just so busy. How easy it is to get caught up in our busy lives that we forget the reason Jesus came and the purpose for which we were called. Our lives should be a refuge for the hurting, not a country club for the comfortable. Hospitality isn't an option for anyone who wants to say yes to Christ. It's part of his call to us, though it may be hard to work into our busy lives.(From:Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World)