5 Keys to Move Beyond Your LonelinessSample

Invite Someone to Your Home

When I was a little girl and visited my grandmother in the summer, I noticed that she had a friend over every afternoon at 3 pm for coffee and coffee cake. My, how times have changed! Few, if any of us, have time for coffee with a friend every afternoon. And even if we do have the time, we meet at a coffee shop. Don’t get me wrong. I love coffee shops! But, here’s what I know. Relationships go deeper when we welcome others into our homes.

Peter, one of Jesus’ friends, wrote, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (I Peter 4:9). When you think of hospitality, what comes to mind? Perfect house? Gourmet meal? Beautiful flower arrangements? Breathe. The idea of hospitality in the New Testament was simply to welcome others into your home.

In the early church, hospitality was the norm. Friends gathered around dinner tables for simple meals to talk about Jesus. It was normal to welcome strangers and neighbors alike into your home to share a meal. What a beautiful concept! The table is the perfect place for deeper connections. When we welcome others to our table, we mirror Christ, who welcomes us to His table, where we celebrate communion and remember his death and resurrection.

If you’re intimidated by hospitality, start small. Invite a friend over for coffee or tea. Or, put a grill on your front lawn, and invite your neighbors over for a hamburger. Beyond your home, welcome others into your friend circles. By following Peter’s instructions to practice hospitality, I’m guaranteeing you’re going to feel less lonely!

Pause and reflect: What most often keeps you from inviting others over to your home? What would need to change in order for you to feel more comfortable?

Pray: Lord Jesus, I confess, at times I have not wanted to open my home to others. Forgive me Lord. Thank You that I am able to live with a roof over my head while so many others struggle to find safe shelter. Soften my heart, I pray. I now dedicate my home to You, Lord Jesus, to be used in whatever way you deem best. May I welcome all who enter, and may you use my home to bring peace and blessing to many.