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| HOSPITALITY---A Godly Attribute We Lost Somewhere... |
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"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you are followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." -Mark 9:41 NASV When we think of godly attributes of people, we often think of things like patience, integrity, wisdom, etc. etc. but how often do we think of hospitality being on the list? In the Middle East, hospitality is a huge part of life. They treat guests as king of the house, with a feast and great honor. They are known for their hospitality. There, they'd make a large array of things to eat, to be certain the guest has something they like, to eat. Here, we usually throw together a casserole that's quick and easy, grab that bottle of pickles out of the fridge, and grab a bottle of pop, put on a pot of coffee, and hope our guests like our meal....not that there's anything wrong with casseroles and canned pickles! lol 1 Peter 4:9 says, "Use hospitality one to another without grudging." In this case, hospitality derives from the Greek word "philoxenos" (sorry, I don't know how to make the fancy accent thingies), which means you're given to hospitality or a lover of hospitality. The parable in Luke 11 really emphasizes hwo important hospitality to guests is to the people in Biblical times. The guy had an unexspected guest show up, and he has no bread to offer the guest. Since there's no 24 hour grocery store, he goes to his friend's house at midnight, and bangs on the door. As was the way back then, his friend is in bed, which he is crammed in there with and shares with his spouse, his kids and probably some of his animals, and if he moves, he could totally disrupt everyone else's sleeping. Yet the man who needs the bread is determined to borrow it from his friend. It's obviously important. I love in Matthew 8:14&15, where, the moment Peter's mother-in-law is healed by Jesus, she gets right up and starts serving them. I noticed an interesting thing: That bishops (aka deacons, overseers, leaders, etc.) actually HAD to be hospitable. It was a requirement of character. Titus 1:8 says of bishops, "..a lover of hospitality..". 1 Timothy 3:2 mentions this again; with a list of other godly attributes such as being vigilant, sober and of good behavior. The dictionary defines "hospitable" as "given to generous and cordial reception of guest 2 readily receptive." I like that: Readily receptive! It's wonderful to invite friends or people we want to get to know, over to our homes for food and fellowship, and, although we are to extend hospitality to those we know, the Bible speaks of hospitality as being something we extend to total strangers. Romans 12:13 says, "Distributing to the necessity of the saints, given to hospitality." The word in the Greek used here literally means "entertaining of strangers" (philoxenia). "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2) Wow! Drives the point home, eh? When Paul was speaking of who were to be considered true widows, taken care of by the Church, of the list of requirements, he says, "...if she has lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints feet..." (1 Tim 5:10). Being hospitable is a godly attribute. In this part of the world, we can sometimes feel so inconvenienced by unexspected guests, especially if we don't even know them. We didn't have time to clean the house, buy extra groceries, etc. etc. and we feel panicked or irritated. Or we just like our space and routine and privacy, and someone in the house we don't know will upset that, and maybe even make us feel uncomfortable. I think this is where 1 Peter 4:9 comes in to play about not being grudging about hospitality. I believe the Lord wants us to "go with the flow". So there's a conference going on and they need billets. Offer to open your home! So a traveling evangelist and their family need a place to stay as they pass through. Invite them to stay! So someone you know from another city has friends that are coming to your town for a function and can't afford a hotel. Offer to take them in! I know God loves this and I also know, one way or another, you'll get blessed, because you can't water someone without being watered yourself. It doesn't cost a fortune to be hospitable, and where God guides, He provides. Have some clean, nice linens on hand for guests. Make up a bed as comfy as possible. If your mattress is a bit hard or your fold out couch's mattress has springs that stick up, invest in a fairly inexspensive mattress pad, or do what I did: I put a nice plushy duvet cover underneath the fitted sheet, and now you can't feel springs! If you have a pretty quilt, use that! They are so welcoming. If in doubt, ask them what sort of foods they enjoy, then do your best to accomondate that. Make them feel as comfortable and welcome as possible. Treat them like royalty, in Jesus' name. Back in Biblical times, strangers relied heavily upon the hospitality of others to survive, when traveling. IT wasn't like nowadays, where you had Econolodge and youth hostiles everywhere. When I did mission throughout the Maritime provinces here in Canada, what stood out to me, as we traveled from church to church, community to community, was the hospitality extended. Some places didn't make us feel welcomed or wanted (some places we really weren't), and yet some places treated us like kings and queens, feeding us awesome food (which was such a blessing, where we'd live off of hot dogs and toast for days on end, or had whole days where we missed meals), and trying to make sure we had comfortable sleeping accomondations. Some places even gave us gifts! That stuck with me. You home keepers, what a ministry to welcome guests! We are all one in Christ, regardless of denominations, countries, ethnic backgrounds, etc, and if given the opportunity to give a cold cup of water, a warm bed or a hot cup of joe to a stranger who is our brother or sister in the Lord, then we will NOT lose our reward! We are serving Jesus. Let's open our homes whenever we are given the opportunity, to friends, aquaintances, and strangers, alike! Let's be a blessing to everyone who sets foot in our home, on to the glory of God!
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| To add a comment to "HOSPITALITY---A Godly Attribute We Lost Somewhere..." |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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 [star!] |
Hospitality is so important it says in scripture that we should always show great hospitality to strangers for they might be angels of the most High God. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
excellent word |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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Amen, bro. Thanks, Servant of God. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| We entertain angels unaware...yikes! Wonder how many I've scared off...lol - really not funny, tho! Hey, Lara girl! |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Debbie, lol! My house is a mess and like convenience is the key word when it comes to cooking, so hey! lol But I know the Lord is really speaking to me of being prepared always, that should anyone show up exspectedly, that I would still be prepared. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Thank you for this encouraging blog. I am the world's worst at this.
God bless you, sister. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Joey, ha! The world's worst? somehow I doubt it. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
I know that I gotta work on it and this reminds me why, thanks kiddo. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Megan, no prob. me too, eh? |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Thanks for the star...again, sis! lol |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Excellent! |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Thanks, Panda! |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Lara, this is an awesome reminder of how we should be, thanks.
Debbie, i love you so much, i can always count on a good laugh from you, and you were being serious. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| No, Joey...I am! |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Sheree, thanks, and Debbie does rock! She makes me smile. :) |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
I need to go to Canada. Oh, and I like steaks! Tbones, medium well. Little garlic and butter off the grill. Salad and potato will make it just fine. Don't forget the sweet tea. Never know, I just might be an angel. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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Anthony, LOL! I have never used a barbecue before. You might wanna bring an extinguisher with you. bawhawhaw! Jess, lol!!! That's hilarious! OMGosh. Some ppl like that kind of beautiful chaos. lol! |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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Hospitality in out homes is a great and mighty gift to offer someone. We also need to have hospitiality in our hearts, where God lies, because without it the hospitality in our homes will not be there. This hospitality must extend into everything that we do, and encounter. On our jobs we must be hospitible to our customer, co-workers and even that awlful boss. Driving our cars we must also, seeing so many young ladies walking in the rain, sleet or snow to catch the bus or take kids to day care when we really do not have anywhere to be at a curtain time, sometimes we need to think if it were me what would I want someone to do. Now use decernment in picking up strangers thats just an example but we encounter opportunity to desplay love to others in so many different ways and we let them slide by. Lara you used patience, integrety and widom as characteristics that we value to have as well as hospitality. It is a great one. For me hospitality is part of love as well as the other attributes, and God said that this was the greatest attribute to have as well as greatest commandment. To Love your neighbors as ourselves. The problem that I see is that alot of christians extend this love just to other fellow christians. But, I have neighbors of all sorts, all religions and all creeds. I must love them too. Love is what I believe is going to increase God's kingdom. When we operate in love to all, offering love initializes a relationship and from there so many great things can occur.
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Amen, Dee. Very well said. The only reason it's spoken of more to do good to those especially of the faith is b/c they will know us by our love for each other, but yes, help the unsaved too. My husband is forever picking up hitchhikers, and although we've had some interesting run ins, we are all still alive and hopefully some seeds were planted in their lives, all the same. :) |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
This is definitely not my strongest gift but one I'm trying to work on... course anyone trying to stay at my house also has to deal with trying to sleep with the dog staring at you (she just likes to do that and won't explain why) |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Lara, you've been inviting em in lately. Good example you've been setting! |
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| September 26, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
I like this Lara and have always believed in the spirit of hospitality...
Thanks for sharing girl and provoking us to love and good works... PTL1!Blessings In Him... :o)
Herman |
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| September 26, 2009 |
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| Jess, that would be my very favoritest place to be, and it is probably not even 12 of them, but i love a good water fight and a good food fight, with soft foods of course LOL :-).... |
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| September 26, 2009 |
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Maureen, yeah, that would be hard for me...hehe. Your dog is beautiful, but yeah...dogs. lol They sniff your ummm.....LOL! OKay, enough Lara. hehe Love ya, sis! And your dog, too! Herman bro, Amen! I am looking forward to opening our home up once we are back in the city. Really praying to get a 3 bedroom. Sheree, thank you for making a point---some ppl love that. My old best friend would love it too. she loves children. The more, the merrier. lol |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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Lara, there's definitely truth to what Jess said...You should have seen us last night TRYING to play Apples to Apples!...yikes But we are a church within ourselves, a voting block, a tribe, a clan, and yes...a baseball team! Yeah, you must be from a BIG family to enjoy our "hospitality"!!! Or, like my mama when she comes...she is READY TO GO HOME!!! LOL!!! We on the other hand LOVE IT! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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| Debbie, I know if a brother or sister in need needed a warm bed to sleep in overnight or a hot cup of joe, you wouldn't turn them away. And that's hospitality. :) Love you! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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| Lara, it would have to be a warm couch unless they wanted to sleep on a bunk bed! LOL Or a nice warm spot on the floor! (that sounds funny!) And, we'd definitely be making coffee...so yeah! And love you, too! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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| Hey, it's better than outdoors! lol!!! I used to sleep on our couch for Sunday afternoon naps when I was pregnant b/c the couch was more comfy than the bed! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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I stopped by to see if you responded to my comment, then to my shock discovered that I hadn't commented! Hospitality is huge in the body of Christ. God gave us a nice house to share w/others, so we seek to obey. This has truly been the summer of hospitality for us! We had a 7-member family staying with us for part of the summer, their father was here for MOST of the summer! lol ..It ended up blessing us more than he/they, though they won't believe it. But it's true! God's gifts are better than man's any day! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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| Oh wait, I did comment (and star) before, you just ignored it, LOL!! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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| OMGosh, Mike! I'm so sorry! I had to scroll through even to find your comment! I do that often----miss comments, I mean. lol Sorry!!! But that's awesome. It can move us out of our comfort zone, but it will always bless us in the end! and God provided today the place we are to live in the city and I'm so excited b/c we'll have ample room for guests! Woot! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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| Good to hear of God's provision :-) And of course I am messing w/you, b/c I know you to be a forgiving and graceful sister. (nya nya, can't touch me!!) |
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| September 28, 2009 |
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| lol |
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| September 28, 2009 |
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| Now that ONLY the fun-loving ppl remain on MC, let's get down to business!!! :-) |
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| September 28, 2009 |
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| (speaking of.....where's Joey?) |
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| September 28, 2009 |
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| lol I'm sure she's around here somewhere. She wouldn't bail on us. :) |
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| September 28, 2009 |
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| Marcella, that is JUST what I'm speaking of, really! That's the kind of hospitality God's pleased with. Awesome! |
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| September 28, 2009 |
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Good post, Lara
To me hospitality is simply what we do to "...love thy neighbor."
If we're not showing hospitality, that speaks volumes against us.
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| September 28, 2009 |
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| Amen, Gene |
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| October 22, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
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| October 22, 2009 |
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| Thanks for the star, bro! |
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| October 23, 2009 |
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| I believe we waste resources if we don't share them. Somehow, mine seem to grow when I do. Give this, get that. Did I mention I like steaks? |
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| October 23, 2009 |
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| Yup, you mentioned you like steaks. ever had moose? |
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| October 24, 2009 |
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| Never been one to fuss over my hair like that. |
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| October 24, 2009 |
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| No, that's mousse. lol |
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| October 24, 2009 |
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| I feel right at home on the mule blog, you know, with the stupid ones, lol!! |
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| October 24, 2009 |
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| lol I am all things to all men. hehe |
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