Practiced Hospitality
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Romans 12:13
My husband and I just spent a wonderful weekend in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, the Canaan Valley to be specific. We were invited by friends to their mountain home to visit and rest. Which is exactly what we did!
I was hoping to see a bear (I think) after hearing stories of our hosts’ seeing one on the porch recently. I did not see one. 🙁 I did spend some relaxing time watching some humming birds fight for a feeder. I was most amused by them when their sweet nectar was gone and one of them came and hovered at the kitchen window to get the attention of our hosts to refill the feeder! They obediently responded to the “request”.
We were visiting old friends we met when they spent a short time helping out in a guest house for missionaries across the street from us in Reading, PA. Then and now they were the most gracious hosts, no need went unmet! We left this weekend feeling absolutely pampered.
I was paying attention to our hostess. She made us three meals a day – refused to let us take them out for dinner, and was never flustered or bothered by the work involved. She was ready for us!
Anything that she could, she had prepared before our arrival. Some things were frozen and some were just in the fridge ready to put into a serving bowl. She remembered our coffee and tea preferences (we had not been there for eight years!), the bathroom was loaded with anything we might need, and the bedroom we were to stay in was ready for weary travelers. They had obviously practiced this before!
Because my husband and I are a little younger than our hosts I could not help but think about the Titus two verses that command that the “older women teach the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”
Though I am rarely considered a “younger woman” these days it was my privilege to observe my hostess as she shows sincere love and caring for her husband of 46 years. Their conversation was full of stories of travels and experiences they have had all over the world. But, they lit up and showed the most passion when talking about their children and their grandchildren, and especially a great “grand”.
My point is that without much effort or thought my hostess was the Titus 2 wife and hostess. She set an example for me that I hope I will follow. She is so content in her home. She is still showing love and devotion – and even submission – to her husband of many years. She still delights in her family. She served us with kindness and joy (although I was scolded if I tried to help in the kitchen.)
As a couple they openly shared their love for the Lord, they have lived their faith for many years. They prayed before meals and wanted to pray with us before we left their home. They gave God the glory for the many experiences they have had in life. We spent time in worship with them on Sunday morning.
Peter says that we should “show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9) We heard no grumbling this past weekend. In fact, our hosts showed nothing but kindness and concern for us while we were there. I know they set a great example of what God intended as He told us to “seek to show hospitality”.
Obedience to God brings blessings. Many women think that showing hospitality is somewhere between difficult and impossible, not worth the effort for the blessing. It would be great if more people could see this example set by the “older women” in the church – I recognize that I qualify and am called to the same – so that more would see that it can be done, perhaps even our hosts, who could probably use a little pampering for themselves about now!
Thanks Beth,
This one hit me between the eyes.
It is possible to get to my age and still need a mentor. I became a believer/disciple around the age of 40 and this command terrified me and still does 18 years later. I am a woman with no children, no close relatives and learned from mother whose idea of cooking was heating up canned veggies and overcooked everything. I cook only because we’d starve otherwise and it is no small task! To this day, for some reason, no matter which cart I pick at the grocery store it automatically shifts into 4th gear when it gets near the canned vegetables. I, too, have witnessed and marvel at this miraculous gift (it would be in my case)….. those who can carry on a theological discussion while they glide across their kitchen floor throwing together a delicious meal for drop-ins or groups without a second thought or a wrinkle in their brow! If I have to prepare a meal for a group of more than say.. 2, I lay awake at night, break out in a sweat, and wonder how I’m going to pull it off. Trust me, it’s that bad. Okay, I’ll admit, most women are somewhere in between and many can follow a recipe but just don’t enjoy doing it. Does that exempt me or them from the hospitality command? NO! But it does make me think of what a disadvantage the modern woman is to this command and how we are to actually PRAY for it. gasp! That said, there are many ways to be hospitable, I have the opportunity and space to have potluck meals for fellowship. For more intimate meals we are still able to invite people out to a restaurant and then home for a nice desert made from scratch (fresh from the local bakery) but it’s not about producing a fine meal or homemade deserts. There are many ways to be hospitable and reasons for opening up our homes, from a place to stay to a cup of tea or coffee perhaps ….. but always remember it must be from a pure heart and never as a work which provides a means for boasting or a heart that covets and longs to be LIKE or BETTER than another. Something else we must all pray for!
Hospitality = Reception and treatment of guests or strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.
Thanks again for the painful reminder to “get out of the boat” for a bigger blessing.