“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” – Hebrews 13:2
Having recently spent time in a true hospitality culture, it was striking how much hospitality has become a lost art in western culture. It was true before COVID but has become even more true since 2020. Hopefully that isn’t true for you, but it’s worth evaluating from time to time.
How excited are you to have strangers just drop in? How open is your home to church friends, neighbors, and new acquaintances? Would you invite them in on little or no notice? In this country we often demand weeks or months of pre-planning before letting people come over. If our house isn’t perfect we consider cancelling. We fret over the rising cost of whatever we feel must be served to impress our guests.
These matters aren’t the heart of biblical hospitality! It isn’t about place, space, or food. It’s about heart attitude. It was astonishing to be a in culture where no matter how little they had, no matter how unexpected you were, and no matter how unprepared their home, they welcomed strangers with joy and the offer of whatever they happened to have on hand.
Biblical hospitality doesn’t require a clean and tidy home. Biblical hospitality doesn’t require an expensive spread of food. All biblical hospitality requires is a heart that’s genuinely excited to meet people, to get to know them over whatever food or drink may be available, and to encourage one another on the road of life. How’s your hospitality toward strangers? You never know when angels may be knocking!