The Dinner Invitation 

Last year we started a new tradition of inviting guests to join our family dinner one night each week. As my husband would constantly remind me: we are going to eat anyway, so why not invite others to join us?

Over the course of the year we invited single friends, young college-age neighbors, single moms, older couples, and families with small kids. Every week we would prayerfully consider who we should invite over, and each week God was faithful to bring someone to mind.

These dinners became not only a place for community and relationships to start but also for deep conversations about faith and family, heartache, and joy to happen on a regular basis in our home. As the food was passed, there was often a comfort that came with the dish that was shared. It became my husband’s answer to most problems: a couple was struggling in their marriage? Invite them to dinner. A young single mom was tired and discouraged? Invite her and her kids to come eat with us. A young family who was new to the country didn’t know many people yet? Invite them over to get to know them better. Slowly we began to see how God was using our simple offering of time and food as a way to usher in peace and hope—a sense that neither we nor our guests were forgotten or alone. Hospitality doesn’t have to be fancy or ornate; most people aren’t going to care what you serve or how tidy your house is—sometimes a simple meal or food ordered in is the best!

Sharing our homes, whether by preparing a meal or putting clean sheets on the guest room bed, is an important way to show our deep love for each other—and to offer hope and peace, encouragement and joy as well. God shows up in our midst, and it is awesome to behold.

Today’s Act of Friendship: Share a meal with someone new—whether you invite them to your home or meet at a restaurant.