Leadership: Hospitality
Be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
Titus 1:8 (NIV)
I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me… Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
Matthew 25:35, 40 (ESV)
Hospitality has been a custom among God’s people for millennia. But this tradition is based on His LAW!
'The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself' (Leviticus 19:34).
Jesus confirmed it and EXPANDED it:
'When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors... But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed...' (Luke 14:12-14).
His disciples traveled from house to house, teaching and tending to new believers:
'Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality' (Romans 12:13).
They extended their outreach to others:
'Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels' (Hebrews 13:2).
They were dedicated ambassadors, and their habit of hospitality opened the door to countless lonely hearts.
Today, a relatively small handful of Christian missionaries live this way. They leave the comforts and habits of home… to share God’s love and hospitality with the world’s most unfortunate people. Their faith, guts, and sacrifice HUMBLE me.
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
Posting happy pictures on Instagram, hanging with believers who look like us, or saying “Hi” in church JUST AREN’T ENOUGH.
A mission trip is a worthy outreach, but what about choosing a mission life… where you welcome the lonely and the lost?
Let's not fool ourselves. Jesus was about an inconvenient hospitality: going out of His way to help others. Clearly, He orders us to copy Him.*
In this new era of entertainment, He gives us a new path, called media! Many churches label it scandalous: replete with sinners, strangers, and dangers.
But isn’t this the focus group to whom Christ showed the greatest hospitality?
In direct opposition to Jesus, xenophobia and hateful conduct have become common in Christian churches. Don’t look the other way. That’s acceptance. Do gently correct them. That’s an order!
Leadership: Hospitality (Part 32)
* Matthew 25:31-46 NKJV - The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations - Bible Gateway
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God– to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.
WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!