A Little Goes a Long Way: 7 Days to a Significant LifeSample

A Little Hospitality

“Would you like a reader for your manuscript before you turn it in to your publisher?” a fellow swim team mom generously offered. “Sure!” I responded immediately because, little did she know, I’d been praying for another set of eyes to give me feedback.

Megan’s family had just moved to our community, and this conversation occurred the first time we met. We exchanged numbers and more pleasantries, then gathered our kids to leave. When I returned home, Megan sent me a text reiterating her offer. I mustered up the courage to send her my heart on the page, honestly not expecting much response.

The next day, Megan sent me a picture of my manuscript—she had printed it, hole-punched it, and placed it neatly in a binder to read. We agreed to meet the next week so that I could hear her thoughts. I thought we’d meet at a local coffee shop for an hour or so, but instead, she invited me to her home.

When I arrived at her house the following week, she opened the door and welcomed me with a warm smile. Once inside, she ushered me into a tidy kitchen. The smell of flavored coffee wafted through the air, and a lemon poppyseed Bundt cake sat on the counter atop a glass cake stand. As I scanned the kitchen, tears glistened in my eyes. “You did all this for me?” I asked, baffled by the extent of her effort.

We worked for hours, combing through the manuscript, which she had thoughtfully marked with her sharpened pencil. We refilled our coffee cups and brainstormed through lunch. Megan must have heard my stomach grumbling because she got up from the table and headed to the refrigerator. She began cutting cheeses and deli meats and neatly placed them on a platter, along with crackers and an assortment of vegetables for us to snack on. Before I knew it, it was almost 3:00 p.m., and I needed to pick up my kids from school. “Let’s do this again next week,” she offered as I left. Again, I teared up, overwhelmed by her loving care.

As I drove away and reflected on my time with Megan, I was in awe of her hospitality. Not only did she care for me physically, but she also cared for me spiritually and emotionally. It inspired me to make others who come to my home feel how she made me feel.

When we think of hospitality in the Bible, the story of Mary and Martha typically comes to mind (Luke 10). Jesus was their frequent guest, and for Mary, hospitality meant giving more attention to her guest’s words than to the cleanliness of her home or the timeliness of her meals. She let her older sister, Martha, take care of those details. This bothered Martha, so she brought her concern to Jesus. But Jesus said, “Martha, Martha…you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42).

When we hear this story, we usually think we need to be more like Mary since Martha’s priorities were the ones corrected. But, as I think about my friend Megan, it occurs to me that she was both a Martha and a Mary. While hospitality can happen in a messy home with no food on the table, it’s also not wrong to thoughtfully clean, cook, and prepare for a guest. The key is to also focus on spending time with the person to make them feel comfortable and at home, just as Megan did for me.

Romans 12:13 tells us to “practice hospitality.” Many people believe hospitality is a gift we either have or don’t. However, this Scripture communicates that hospitality should be offered repeatedly regardless of our skills. It is important to God and worth pursuing. Maybe it’s time to put out a welcome mat.

Your Little Task

Who do you feel God is leading you to host in your home? How can you prepare and be present with that person?

Prayer Prompt

Father, thank you for making room for me and inviting me into your forever home. Help me to be hospitable and welcoming to the people you place in my life. Free me from the pressure to make myself look good, and instead, lead me to care for the needs of others, so they feel good. Amen.