Jesus Understood the Point

When I was a young newlywed, I had quite the collection of kitchen and home magazines. These days we have social media to overwhelm us with over-the-top ideas for “entertaining”, but back then, I had glossy pages of recipes, decorating ideas, and more to hold my gaze. Now, I’m not trying to say that magazines or Pinterest are bad in and of themselves, but their influence can give us unrealistic expectations of ourselves when it comes to opening our homes. We worry that if we’re not fancy enough, we’re not good enough to extend hospitality to others—when actually the opposite is true.

As you’ll recall, Jesus managed to be a gracious host—and He didn’t even have a house to live in! What Jesus knew, and what we tend to forget, is that biblical hospitality is about generosity. It’s not about impressing people with what we possess, it’s about making them feel comfortable, welcome, and loved. Don’t we desire to be generous people—generous with our time and talent, our hearts and homes, our Friday nights and our faith stories—sharing graciously all that we have in order for people to know the love of the Lord? That, my dear ones, is the soul of biblical hospitality. It’s about making deep, real connections and sharing the truth of God’s Word with others. And no one has modeled this simple truth better for us than Jesus Christ our Lord.