The Blessings of Hospitality

             Hospitality has been defined as “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers” (Dictionary.com). Unfortunately, it is often neglected in our busy lives today. My Mom loved showing hospitality to friends and family.  Unfortunately, my Dad, being the introvert that he was, wasn’t as keen on it, so we probably didn’t have guests as often as Mom would have liked.  She did manage to invite small groups of friends and relatives in on a somewhat regular basis.  One of my earliest memories of her hospitality was when I was about 5 or 6.  We hosted a wedding shower for our church’s young minister and his bride-to-be.  That was probably one of the largest events that Mom hosted, and I was too young to know how that conversation went between her and Dad.  I know that she enjoyed every minute of it!

In Biblical times, it was considered dishonorable to not offer hospitality to both friends and strangers. One of the best examples of that hospitality is found in II Kings 4.  A wealthy woman lived in the town of Shunem, which was located Southwest of the Sea of Galilee.  One day the prophet, Elisha (not to be confused with the prophet, Elijah), came through the area.  The Shunammite woman, as she was called, invited him in for a meal.  There is no indication that she knew him personally—she only knew him as a “holy man of God” (II Kings 4: 9).  The Scripture never explains how she knew that, but her hospitality to him did not end with just a meal.

She encouraged her husband to build a room for Elisha on their roof so that whenever he passed through the area, he would have a place to stay.  She provided a bed, table, chair, and lamp.  The Scripture doesn’t say but she most likely continued to provide meals for him as well.  In short, she showed him hospitality.  Eventually, Elisha repaid her hospitality through the Lord’s blessing of a child.  However, real hospitality is not motivated by what we might receive in return, and I doubt that the Shunammite woman welcomed Elisha into her home to see what she could get out of him.

Today, we are often so concerned with whether our homes, our furniture, and our food will measure up to what others might have, that we do nothing.  We don’t welcome people in because they might see that we don’t have the finest furniture or that we haven’t done an intense “spring cleaning” for several “springs”.  In my case, the biggest fear is the food.  Cooking has never been big on my list of accomplishments, so I’m always hesitant to serve food to people I don’t know well.

Fortunately, since my retirement, God has begun to grow my desire to show hospitality.  I now host a Bible study in my home, twice a month, and I invite the ladies to make themselves at home.  While I try to keep the house clean, they may find a cobweb here or there.  That’s okay.  It just means that I’m human, and maybe I have more important things to do than cleaning.  I’m even getting better at serving food.  I’ve started cooking for three of my closest friends, who are my “guinea pigs”.  So far, no one’s gotten sick, and they seem to enjoy the results. 

My point is that we are missing out on opportunities for fellowship and blessings of friendship when we refuse to show hospitality.  When the Shunammite woman welcomed Elisha into her home, we don’t know that she had any ulterior motives, but both she and Elisha were blessed as a result.  Don’t let your fear and insecurities keep you from opening your home to others.  If my Mom were here, she would tell you that you are missing out on all the fun.  Who knows what blessings you are missing as well?

II Kings 4: 8 – 37 & 8: 1 - 6