The Secret to Great Hospitality

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What do you think of when you hear the word hospitality?

Perhaps you recall a pleasant memory of a particularly fond visit with a family member or friend who seemed to have a special gift for making guests feel welcome and comfortable. Maybe you get excited and start envisioning the next event you will be hosting.

On the other hand, perhaps the word hospitality conjures up feelings of disappointment as you recall times you tried to entertain but felt like it went wrong. Or maybe you want to invite family and friends over, but your life is so hectic and your house a total disaster — you’d feel ashamed if anyone saw it.

Perhaps you feel dread at the thought of visitors dropping by unannounced or on short notice. Maybe you are afraid that your current living space is not adequately suited to host any visitors. Perhaps it is too small, too old, too disorganized, etc.

We live in a digital age where social media bombards us with a perfectly curated series of photographs portraying idealized home lives of our family, friends, and celebrities. Glossy magazines in the checkout lines boast headlines like “52 ways to decorate for your next party”. Their pages are filled with scenes of dinner place settings that cost a fortune and were professionally designed by people who specialize in decorating.

We obsessively scroll Pinterest to learn how to decorate like a pro. We watch cooking videos late into the night for meals to prepare just to impress. And we follow organizational blogs for tips on how to tame our daily clutter. I admit… I do this.

The secret…

But what if I told you that the secret to hospitality has nothing to do with your ability to keep a spotless magazine-cover home, buy fancy decor, or cook gourmet meals? It has nothing to do with centerpieces or throw pillows or fancy hors d’oeuvre. It has nothing to do with a big, grassy yard with a top-of-the-line grill for summer BBQs. It has nothing to do with a huge home with a spacious open floor plan.

The secret to hospitality is attitude.

No, seriously. It is all about our attitude, our heart, our mindset.

The secret to hospitality has nothing to do with having a spotless home, fancy decor, or gourmet meals. It is all about our attitude, our heart, our mindset. Click To Tweet

The secret explained

According to Dictionary.com, hospitality means “the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers” and “the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.”

Great hospitality is all about the attitude with which we receive and treat our guests. A warm and friendly attitude is much more important to being a hospitable host than the location, the tidiness of it, the material things present, the amount of money spent on the occasion, and even the food shared.

Being warm and friendly, even to those who may stop by with little or no warning, costs us nothing out of pocket. More importantly, it is what the Lord expects of His people.

God’s Word reminds us: “…don’t forget doing good and sharing with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16, CJB)

And Romans 12:13 encourages: “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” (NLT)

Practical hospitality

Sure, I completely understand that it can be challenging to be hospitable when you are overworked, exhausted, very busy, or emotionally worn out. I get it. I’m a mom of three little boys all three years old and younger. I work full time outside the home, we’ve moved homes, and we have gone through some very challenging months — both financially and emotionally. In other words, there are times you are just plum worn out, burned out, or even sick.

But we don’t have to let our inadequacies or fears or life circumstances get in the way of being warm, friendly, generous, and inviting to family, friends, and guests.

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing some practical tips and Biblical inspiration for those of us who are busy with life, worry about not being ready for guests, or feel we are lacking in the hospitality department.

May the Lord bless you with a home filled with love, joy, peace, and laughter.

Application

1. In a journal, write down all of the reasons hospitality or having unexpected guests make you anxious or uncomfortable.
2. Read Ephesians 2:10 and Galatians 5:14. What do these verses say about our attitude and how we should relate to others?
3. Write “The secret to hospitality is attitude!” on a sticky note or in your journal. Place it somewhere you can see it for the next week, and each day say it to yourself.

Join the discussion

I would love to know your thoughts on this topic. In the comments below, share your hospitality triumphs and failures, your excitement and anxiety.

Next time

Join us next time as we continue our brand new Hospitality series. We will be tackling the tricky topic of adjusting our attitude to embrace the spirit of hospitality. Even if you are not an out-going person, hosting makes you nervous, or hospitality is not one of your spiritual gifts!