Hosting can be simple when your goal is to change somebody's world, all for heaven's sake. Hospitality focuses on the guest not the host.
When I stop looking at myself, I'm less self-conscious. When I see my guest as God sees them, I'm no longer "entertaining"—I'm serving. As Katie Deckert says:
"Hospitality is the simple overflow of a Christian life."
I love that. A simple overflow. She's got a hospitality mindset. What's on her mind, just flows over into opening her home. She and her husband invite college kids to come over and use their laundry facilities. That's not something you'd find on Pinterest. But Jesus loves it. And it changes the world for those college kids.
DID YOU EVER WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD?
Maybe when you were 16 or 22 you got on that Big Dream bandwagon.
But now? Not so much.
World-changing is for celebrities, go-getters, vision-casters. Shaking up our earth and those in it is someone's good idea, but not yours.
You would, however, like to know that what fills your days makes a difference to those you love. Creating meals that include something green on occasion. Calling your mother on a regular basis. Maybe (maybe) corralling laundry before your husband runs out of underwear and the kids' soccer uniforms unearth themselves clean and ready when they need to be clean and ready.
Changing the world isn't on your To-Do list. Changing diapers, maybe. Changing channels. Changing the oil. Boy, do our old Hondas need a lot of that. That we can figure out. But, the world? Not so much.
"Let someone else change the world," you say. The world's too hard, too sad, too messed up.
Besides you just realized it's an election year and a modern-day Walden's Pond seems like the next best stop, including no cell service except for take-out options.
Or, you've remembered it's your turn to host the major holidays which makes you long for the social shutdown of the worldwide pandemic with those lovely words, "Sorry, I'm not sorry" excuses to stay inside, doors closed, shades down.
BUT JESUS (IN A NUTSHELL)
Changing the world sounds like a job for someone else. Someone with lots of money or time on their hands. Except for this:
But Jesus.
He had a thing to say about the world and us in it. In a nutshell, if you woke up today, that's a sign God wants you to change the world.
Listen in to what he said to His bunch of followers:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28: 19,20).
He said this to His followers who were former fisherman, former prostitutes, former tax collectors. As Kyle Idleman wrote, "The word former shows that he changes the world one person at a time."
I'll say it again. In a nutshell, if you woke up today, that's a sign God wants you to change the world—most likely, one person at a time.
THE FIRST CHURCH POTLUCK (THE POINT)
In John 21 Jesus hosts the first church potluck. He invited his friends for breakfast on the beach. He had fish and bread but he said, "Bring your fish!"
God doesn't need our food or our help. He just likes to include us in the joy of serving. We don't need to worry, though, because He's got it covered where we don't.
In fact, we never really know a guest's real needs. Only God does. We invite, and He goes where He needs to go, meeting our people and ourselves where we need to be met.
At the beach breakfast, Jesus goes on to ask Peter, "Do you love me?" Three times brings to mind Peter's three-time denial. I'm sure it was not lost on Peter. And then, assured of His forgiveness and love, Christ sends him off to change the world: "So then, feed My sheep." (John 21:10-19)
Here's the point:
What these men had to eat was definitely secondary to the whole situation. It was a perfect example of the meal being the vehicle for the exhortation and true fellowship and meaningful relationship to take place.
In much of entertaining, the meal is the main event. I like those kinds of events, but that's not what God means by hospitality.
"Come and have breakfast" is an invitation Jesus used to change a man's life. Talk about hospitality with a purpose.
When we ask the question, "Why bother doing hospitality?"—here's the real answer:
God wants to use our hospitality as a vehicle for Him to change lives—our's and those we invite.
We are to be His welcome to our world. To share our very lives.
"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you, not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well" (I Thessalonians 2:8).
Hospitality is a mindset where we serve with our whole lives. Maybe starting with breakfast on the beach or the laundry room with Tide and dryer sheets or both.
SOME GOOD CONVERSATION
When I let someone in on my real life: cluttered counters, dishes in the sink, and fat-free half and half out of the carton, I give "permission" for my guests to be their real selves with me. That's where good conversation begins. As I mentioned in my "70 Things I Learned by 70", the best thing we can do for someone is to pray for them. The second best thing is to invite them over for some meaningful conversation.
Sounds simple? It is when I keep my mind on my guests reathe than the state of my home.
I love The Message rendition of Matthew 5:16—"Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God."
To "keep open house" is a mindset; to invite to our table is to model God's invitation to His. Friends and neighbors will much more likely accept an invitation for coffee at our homes before accepting one to your church or Bible Study—and that's a fact. Start there. Feed sheep.
It's a good idea to have a hospitality mindset because the next person you meet may need some good conversation that will prompt them to open up with God. Nothing better. It's why you woke up this morning.
Why Mindset? What we think, we will be motivated to act on.
Why Hospitality? Loving God with all your heart, mind and soul includes a hospitality mindset.
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Speaking of simple hosting, here are 25 SIMPLE Gathering Ideas to gather your people and maybe some extras. We need one another—for support, love and laughter. Click here to get your printable list.
Simple hosting ideas
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