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HOSPITALITY

Date: 
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Bible Meditation: 
Genesis 18: 1-16

Distributing to the needs of the saints; given to HOSPITALITY Romans 12:13

HOSPITALITY is the art, quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a friendly, kind, and warm way. It is a key ethical attribute of God. Many admonitions exhorted the Israelites and early Christians to practise hospitality. Abraham did (Gen.18:2-8). When the angels visited Sodom and Gomorrah in search of a righteous man, only Lot and his family were set apart to be saved. Lot was deemed righteous by the fact that he imitated Abraham's hospitable behavior (Gen.19:1-8). Besides depicting Abraham’s model, the Old Testament specifically commanded hospitality. As Israel received Jehovah’s loving care, so she was to love and care for the alienated person (Exo.23:9; Lev.19:33-34; Isa.58:6-10). During His public ministry, Jesus and His disciples depended substantially on the hospitality of others as they ministered from town to town (Mt.10:9-10). So did the early Christians (Acts 28:7). The early church practised hospitality (1Tim.3:2; Tit.1:8).

The common human tendency is to welcome, share the company of and fellowship with people who look, think, act, and live like us. Our guest list is usually comprised of people who can reciprocate the gesture. But if we were to ask the Lord Jesus whom we should have over for dinner, He would give us a totally different guest list. On one occasion, a prominent Pharisee invited Jesus into his home, probably for dining fellowship, but possibly to watch Him closely so he could trap Him. While there, Jesus healed a man and taught the host a significant lesson: When making out your guest list for a dinner party, you should not be exclusive – inviting friends, relatives, rich neighbors, and those who can pay you back. Instead, you should be inclusive – inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind (Lk.14:12-14). The Lord Jesus exhorts us to be like Him and open our doors to everyone, particularly the most vulnerable.

Believers by nature should be amiable, cordial, friendly, welcoming, and genuinely hospitable: “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1Pet.4:9). Third John presents differing two portraits of hospitality: a sharp contrast between how two members of the church welcomed believers who visited them. The letter was addressed to “the beloved” Gaius, whom John loved “in truth” and who walked with God, in the truth (v.1,3). He welcomed the brethren and strangers – itinerant missionaries and teachers like Paul – faithfully and with love (vv.5-6). In contrast, Diotrephes was proud and domineering, and spoke against those who came in the name of Christ (vv.9-10). In addition, he drove out of the church anyone who wanted to accept them, perhaps in a bid to protect his position and self-interests and to keep the attention on himself. Whose pattern are you following: egotistic and self-centred Diotrephes or cordial, friendly, loving, and hospitable Gaius?

There are moments in our lives when we should send signals to people around us – at church, neighbourhood or our social settings – that they are welcome in our world. We ought to live so that when people get to know us, they will want to get to know Christ. Hebrews 13:2 cautions: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” As we show gracious kindness to those who come our way, we somehow echo the Saviour’s invitation for salvation: “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev.22:17). Demonstrating sincere friendliness and loving hospitality just might be the initial step in showing others the way to heaven. Christ-like hospitality begins with an open heart, but often extends to an open home. We are not only to be hospitable, but we’re to practise – “be given to” – hospitality (Rom.12:13).

People were made in the image of God; therefore service to humanity is service to God (Gen.1:26; 1Jh.4:19-21). Hospitality is a good seed to sow into the lives of others, even people who don’t seem to deserve it. Now, go and sow seeds of hospitality.

Adetokunbo O. Ilesanmi (Meditations)

Prayer: 
Lord, help me to cultivate a heart of sincere friendliness; enable me to sow seeds of honest HOSPITALITY, in Jesus name.
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