Intentional Home

 


Home.

Practice hospitality. It's right there, a two word sentence, right on the tail end of Romans 12:13. If there was ever a verse that I would skim over, it would be that one. The first part of that verse - Share with the Lord's people who are in need - that one I'm in full tilt. But then there is the second half of that verse. That one is a bit tougher for me. Helping someone out? I'm there! Practice hospitality? ... excuse me a moment I think I'm needed ... somewhere ... else ...

I love the idea of hosting others in our home.  Opening up our doors and inviting people in. It sounds so fun, friendly, and warm.

But I often choke on the implementation of it.

It's hard to swallow the sweetness of hospitality when you've got a knot of perfectionism caught in your throat.

 

I want to be OK with the pop-ins.  The visitor who calls 5 minutes before showing up.  The guest who knocks on the door without warning.  To happily open our home to 20+ guests for an evening.

But so often I want my house to be picture-perfect before anyone comes.

But as the dictionary states, hospitality is the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers. The quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way. 

Nowhere in that definition does it state anything about having your house look great. Hospitality is all about the feeling that is evoked when someone walks into your home. Do they feel welcome?  loved? 



I know we're not all in a spot to open our homes to others. Some are places of lock-down, quarantine, and other various pandemic stages. But I'm holding onto hope that it won't always be this way.

As we look to a future where we can gather in each others' homes again, let's take another look at how we view hospitality.

And this short little verse is a great reminder: practice hospitality. You see that? It's a practice. Something that we need to do over and over again to get better at it.

Because we can truly enjoy having people in our home when we quit worrying whether they can see the dirt on the floor, whether they think the bathroom is gross, or our decorating scheme needs intervention. No one is coming to your home to inspect it. They are coming to find belonging, love, comfort, and welcome. Those you can give, no matter the state of your floors or the implementation of your meal plan.

What ways are you finding to practice hospitality these days? This is an area of growth for me, so I'd love to hear ideas!

 
 

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