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Hospitality is the word of the week over at Miss Kate’s. Come join us won’t you?
I am always amazed at people who can anticipate needs before they are even known. That is how I see the gift that showing hospitality is.
I know that everyone is responsible for all the gifts. God grants them to some believers as gifts, abilities that naturally flow out of the abundance of goodness he gives us. But just because some are granted a gift doesn’t mean that the rest of us can ignore them. They are all fruits of the spirit. They are all part of us in one measure or other.
So here I am… able to welcome people into my home but having to stop and think my way through what I need to do.
- offer coffee or a drink.
- have a treat on hand.
- clean the house (or at least make the effort)
- a place to sit
- and the list goes on.
Hospitality doesn’t flow naturally out of me.
I go and visit my sister and this gift seems to flow out of her seamlessly. She’s learned well this art of meeting the needs of those visiting. Conversation is a given on a variety of topics. I’ve visited with members of our church and observed Mrs. S do the same. Comfortable, feel at home, meet your needs and conversation as naturally as breathing.
I talk myself through everything and limit the people who come into my house by request. People who just stop in have to take me as I am. 🙂 Outside my home I have no problems. I think less about offering to help or meet a need or offer support. Yet here, maybe hospitality?
I find it odd.
This dichotomy. The having to think it think it so much when people are over, yet if I am out visiting, helping, listening, providing comes naturally.
What makes the difference?
Hello, I’m visiting from the #FMF linkup. Enjoyed reading your post, and can relate to your feelings of “not having the gift of hospitality.” It doesn’t flow from me either. In fact, I had surgery in March and limited the frustration I would have with a less than clean house, nothing on hand to serve, and difficulty in coping with pain and dealing with a conversation at the same time. I asked the church office to let folks know I wasn’t able to have visitors. I felt bad about that too but knew that recovery depended on healing. It was good to see what you’re writing and doing on your blog. Hope to cross paths again.
it was great to have you stop in. Sometimes when you recover time alone is the best thing you can have… dealing with people is just too difficult.
Yeah, I’m the same way.
Come on by, drop on in,
but take me as I am.
I’ve got some biscuits in the tin,
and maybe have some jam.
Have a seat upon the chair,
oh, sorry, mind the dogs.
Perhaps the floor, over there,
or there’s a spot on the fire-logs.
No, wait, there’s room on the settee
right by the reading-light.
Put your feet up, do feel free,
just let me move the Armalite.
It’s really nice, for being bad,
my classic gangsta-pad.
woot woot! I’m not alone in my stuff! Thanks! 🙂
I totally relate to you. Hospitality does not follow naturally. I know it is needed and expected – and I even long to offer it as easily as so many others seem to do. But, it just does not. I keep trying and working at it….especially the whole idea of inviting others in!
I think God honours that you know? That trying, the working away at it, the stretching it causes in us.
I am throwing an idea at you because I stress over having people in my home. Yet, hospitality doesn’t have to happen only in the home. That has given my mind and heart some relief. Making sure people know they are invited to participate – in a youth devo at church, in Bible class, when you go to the park – that is hospitality, also. Taking time to let someone know you are thinking of them? Another form. Widen your thoughts about hospitality and we find that we all have a bit of ability, just maybe not in having people into our home. Something to think about. . .
I know, it’s taken me a long time to see hospitality is more than having people over to your house, yet that’s how it is always promoted as spiritual gift type events.