When you hear the word hospitality, do you smile and hum “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast? Or do you frown and sing the “I’m Too Busy Blues?” We know the Bible teaches us to be hospitable, but sometimes it seems overwhelming.
Let’s put our heads together and make it easier. Ready?
We’ll see what my friend Jean Wilund did to make entertaining easy—even when she faced a challenge.
Jean invited Frances to join her for coffee and pastries, but she almost left her neighbor on the porch wondering if she’d arrived on the wrong day. Jean shared the story with me in an email. Here’s Jean’s hospitality story.
Last night, I remembered I’d invited my neighbor Frances for coffee. I was tired from a wonderful event at my church, but after I’d placed the flower arrangement I’d brought home on my table, I straightened the living room and kitchen before I went to bed.
I even prayed I wouldn’t wake up with bed head so I wouldn’t have to wash my hair.
But when the alarm rang, I forgot about Frances and went back to sleep. I needed to sleep longer.
Well, I slept all right—until 15 minutes before my sweet neighbor was due to arrive! Remembering my invitation, I jumped out of bed, dressed, and fluffed my hair. Thankfully, the bed head monster hadn’t visited overnight.
As soon as I popped scones into the oven and set out mugs, the doorbell rang.
We had the best time visiting. Frances didn’t mind drinking coffee while the frozen pastries I’d bought from a local restaurant baked. Whew! An amazing morning.
Now Jean laughs about her near fiasco and the challenge of scurrying to prepare. But she’d taken some steps ahead of time to make welcoming Frances into her home easy.
Jean and her husband enjoy inviting family and friends to their home for meals, but this time Jean offered her neighbor fresh coffee, baked pastries, and a place at her table.
A businesswoman in the New Testament offered a place at her table to Paul and his travel companions. At a riverside prayer meeting, Lydia heard Paul’s preaching and gave her life to Christ. Here’s the invitation Lydia extended as recorded by Luke:
And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Acts 16: 15 ESV
Notice Lydia begged them to visit her home. Maybe Lydia had prepared lentil stew or baked bread that morning. The Bible doesn’t include details, but we know Lydia served guests with spontaneous hospitality.
Remember, hospitality is a SNAP when we trust God and open our homes and our hearts to the people we care about and want to serve.
Hospitality is a SNAP when we trust God and open our homes and our hearts to the people we care about and want to serve. Click To Tweet
Let’s try these strategies:
Four Helpful SNAP Tips to Keep Your Hospitality Simple and Fun
S “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9 ESV).
Grumbling slows our momentum and robs us of joy—and keeps us from obeying this command from Scripture.
N Never apologize for what’s missing when you’ve used well the resources God has given you.
Although we want our homes to be reasonably clean, it’s not about the food and the furniture, but the people in the chairs (based on a quote by W. S. Gilbert).*
A Adopt the motto, “Keep it simple and laugh often.”
I learned from my daughter and daughter-in-love to keep it simple when time is short. They sometimes offer guests home-cooked meals, but if they’re busy, they pick up pizza or barbecue and enjoy the time with family and friends. Prize the fellowship of hospitality, not the fanfare.
P Pray and prepare ahead.
Jean prays about who to invite, and she prays for those who join her. She prepares ahead by keeping delicious pastries from a local restaurant in her freezer. My friend Lori prepares two quiches instead of one. When an opportunity arises to share a meal with friends or church visitors, she pulls the extra quiche out of the freezer and adds a salad. Sometimes she takes the extra one to a friend who needs a meal.
I hope the tips give you new ideas or prompt you to remember some you’ve tried before.
*https://quotefancy.com/w-s-gilbert-quotes
Your Turn
How have you extended hospitality in a SNAP? What are the values of offering a guest a place at your table?
Now that my book is finished, I’m eager to invite more guests to my table. In my book, A Place at His Table, WHICH RELEASED THIS WEEK, you’ll find a funny hospitality story about how my friend Glenda cooked too many beans. Find the link below. But first …
If you’re looking for an excellent Bible study, you’ll love Jean Wilund’s NEW RELEASE:
Embracing Joy: An 8-Week Transformational Bible Study of Habakkuk
(Our Daily Bread Publishing)
Jean teaches us how to the study the Bible as we study this Old Testament book.
Here’s the link: Embracing the Joy Bible study book
My 40-day devotional was also RELEASED THIS WEEK!
A Place at His Table: God’s Daily Gifts to Satisfy Your Heart
(Bold Vision Books Publishing)
Southern table stories connect to Bible passages, and scriptural truths equip us to stand against fear, doubt, and worry as we embrace God’s gifts for victorious living.
Fun Table Tips include recipes, easy centerpiece ideas, and celebration plans.
Here’s a link: Find A Place at His Table
Loved this delightful story. I think Jean handled the situation perfectly.
I haven’t had that particular situation happen. However, I’ve had “pre-company” fright, where I didn’t welcome the idea of friends and neighbors dropping by. Things like undusted tables, dishes in the sink, unvacuumed floors made me feel as if I didn’t measure up to my friend’s house in which everything was in place and spic and span any hour of the day and night.
In the meantime, God had been asking me to host a morning Bible study in my home. My answer to Him was that my home was not decorated as pretty as my friend’s house, who had the knack of decorating beautifully at a moment’s notice. Finally, my answer was, “Yes, Lord, but you’ll have to give me the confidence I need.”
Some mornings I didn’t have time to dust my bookcase or to quickly run my vacuum cleaner over my living room floor. But I did make the time to be sure I had several different kinds of coffee pods and cupcakes, cookies, or some type of pastry on hand. Occasionally, I baked a pie or made a quiche.
How blessed I was! My friends and I had time together which we will never forget. Our friendship was strengthened, and the blessing was that I stopped worrying about my inability to model perfection. After all, Jesus was present right in the middle of our Bible study and our fellowship and friendship.
Evelyn, I think we’ve all fallen into the comparison blues before. I certainly have. You included several valuable tips for us in your comments. Your last statement reminds us of where our focus should be —on the presence of Jesus with us. Thank you!
I so enjoyed the wonderful story from Jean and the tips you’ve shared to help us keep hospitality simple. It’s the love that goes into our invitation rather than the money we spend or fancy dishes or furniture. Thank you, Jeannie, for encouraging us to share our love with others. Simple things become long lasting and special memories when the atmosphere is full of love.
Katherine, you’re right. It’s the love in our invitation rather than physical table settings. Your last sentence summarizes the reason we extend love through hospitality. Thank you for offering value to all of us.
What a great reminder that people can come over even when the house is not perfect! Hospitality is a ministry to others and I’ve finally realized that friends don’t walk in my house and look down to see if my floor is clean. They’re looking at me!😀
I love the way you offered us the freedom to share our homes without undue stress. Hospitality is a ministry indeed which shares the love of Christ and offers acceptance and joy. Thank you, Jan.
Jeannie, COVID and the pandemic brought a major change in our social lives. Being out side makes socializing easier, but what do we do in cold, rainy, snowy weather? And we’re facing more COVID restraints as we go forward. Difficult decisions!
Peggy, you brought up a good point. Everyone has to consider their health, especially those with certain conditions. I also think we need to balance caution with the need for fellowship, so that we make wise decisions without the fear that engulfed us during the pandemic. Again, it’s an individual choice. Let’s pray and continue to ponder this. Thanks so much.
Thank you for sharing and reminding us of the importance of hospitality. Yes, COVID did change things for many of us but now I need to get back in the habit of SNAP again. Loved it Jeannie.
Thank you, Yvonne. You mentioned habits. I’m working on SNAPping more to it as well.
These are great tips for making hospitality a little easier for those of us who are challenged and even rather intimidated by it! Thanks, Jeannie.
Kathy, we’re all a work in progress, aren’t we? I treasure the truth of Philippians 1:6. I’m collecting ideas to keep hospitality simple.
Biblical hospitality was a must in ancient days. The people opened their homes and were always prepared to entertain even strangers. Of course, that is not a safe practice today, but we can still extend hospitality even on the streets or in stores with appreciation, smiles, and help to those we see in need. Jean’s story is an inspiration that we don’t have to be perfect to serve our friends.
Good point, Barbara. God gives us wisdom and various ways to extend love. I agree we can do that in many ways.
Great story, Jeannie. And the acronym is very useful. I’ll remember several tidbits from your delightful post to add to my hospitality repertoire.
I’m glad you found the acronym helpful, Annie. I need the reminders too. Thanks so much for stopping by.
I think my “Hospitality gene” comes from my adopted mama. She always said, “We can always add more water to the soup” whenever an unexpected guest would arrive. Her example of being a gracious host and showing God’s love through her hospitality was a great example for a young man to learn from. It seemed we always had someone coming or going from our home. Of course, mama demonstrated her hospitality outside the home also. I think the saying that sticks out the most for me is, “You just never know when you’re entertaining an Angel.” My, how I miss her wisdom. It won’t be long though before I’m with her and Jesus.
J. D., your example reminds us to demonstrate the love of Christ and hospitality to honor Him first of all, but we should we aware of how we, like your mother, can encourage others to do the same. What a wonderful example she set as she loved others. Thank you for sharing your story.