The Merciful MasterSample

Loving Hospitality

Paul asks Philemon to prepare the guest room for he hopes to be soon released and reunited with his dear friend. Even though he is in prison, Paul’s desire is that he would be able to minister to the church in Colossae. The apostle invites Philemon to partner with his ministry once again by showing hospitality. 

Hospitality is beautiful for it authentically displays the gospel. It is a sacrifice to invite someone into the privacy of one’s home and to serve and fellowship with them in love. It is expensive, tiring and can be uncomfortable and awkward at times. However, it is what God expects from his children for it is what he does for us. We who were strangers to the salvation of God are invited by the heavenly Father in Christ Jesus to come and lodge in his heavenly home. Christians who have experienced such amazing grace cannot help but reflect that reality to others. This is why Paul asks believers to contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality (Romans 12:13). Rosaria Butterfield in her book, The Gospel Comes with a Housekey calls this “radically ordinary hospitality". Christian hospitality is radical, but also the norm for a believer. She writes, “Those who live out radically ordinary hospitality see their homes not as theirs at all but as God’s gift to use for the furtherance of his kingdom. They open doors; they seek out the underprivileged.” Thus, the Christian is to show hospitality without grumbling as good stewards of God's varied grace (I Peter 4:9-10).

A warm meal and a heart of love many times speaks more of God’s love than a thousand words. This was at least the reality of Presbyterian missionaries Francis and Edith Schaeffer who opened their alpine home in Switzerland to people seeking answers to life’s challenges. They founded L’Abri (meaning shelter in French) which since then has become a home to thousands of travelers and a place of conversion for hundreds. Edith later wrote that “Every Christian home is meant to have a door that swings open." May our homes be open and full of loving hospitality.