Hospitality

Wed afternoon an acquaintance called me up to ask if he could spend the night. That night. He needed to get to a meeting at our church very early. I told him that I would get back with him as soon as I talked with my wife (I'm trying get better at not making decisions without her).

As soon as I talked with Amy, we felt it would be a good use of our baby's room right now. Just this week I took the bed out of that room, and so I simply put the mattress back on the floor, threw some sheets and pillows on the mattress and went to bed. Since he was arriving at 12 am, I left a key under the mat and then prayed it was him when the door opened at midnight. It was and so everything was fine. A shower and few bowls of cereal later, and we said our goodbye's. Not really a big deal sacrifice on my part. But it meant a ton to him.

What struck me was one of his comments before he came, "I don't know you that well (and he didn't, but since he was a 'legend' at RTS-I did know all about him) and feel guilty about asking to stay." Certainly, at the very least, a Christian brother, ought not feel guilty or even weired when asking to stay for the night.

I think most of us probably would have felt 'weird' if not guilty, if put in his same situation (though some of us would have asked a few days earlier). Why is this? Shouldn't we be so gracious with our homes that people wouldn't feel weird in asking? That they could approach us with their need? I know there is always a sense of weirdness when we display our dependence upon others, but some of it comes from the idea that a home belongs to ME. Sharing it with others is optional. Having others in it is optional. But its really not optional. We are blessed to bless others. Period.

Some folks at my church have astounded me with their hospitality (among other things like showing mercy to members in need!). Its challenged me greatly and for that I'm grateful. They've expressed to the world that their house is really not theirs to hog, but theirs to share. And its theirs to share, because they understand know God is responsible for them having such a home. Its His house, and they are the stewards of the house. All we have is ultimately His.

Things are always easier to share if they aren't ours, aren't they? A bag of chips, 6 pack of beer, kayak, money, etc...Well it should be the same way with our homes. And it shouldn't be weird for renters or many (or some) 'homeowners' since the bank owns just as much as we do! When we begin to view our homes as His and not OUR own private sanctuary to ourselves, I think we'll open them up more to others. I certainly need to think more along these lines, and I so I thought I'd pass it on your way.