Hospitality Without Grumbling

If someone came to your door asking for food would you have something to offer? If someone, a friend or acquaintance appeared at mealtime would you offer them a chair, a plate and a helping of your meal? Would you be able to show hospitality without grumbling?

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

1 Peter 4:9

I often think of this when making food for my family. I’ll be honest, my home is not one that is the most hospitable. I don’t make enough food for a guest to show up unannounced, I don’t buy extra groceries in case someone drops in and my bathrooms are far from pristine.

And yet there are several verses in the Bible that say we should be hospitable to those who come to our door. We should show hospitality without grumbling, especially fellow to Christians in need.

1 Peter 4:9 is referring to Christians, who at that time needed a safe place to stay but there are other references in the Bible about helping those in need. Romans 12:13 instructs this, after Jesus’ illustration in Matthew 25:35-41.

I do believe that hospitality is a gift some people are given. There are those who can open their doors to strangers and invite them in, feed them, clothe them and provide them with support as they need it.

These people are true gems in this world. I have been in the company of such people and marvelled at their open hearts. You could see their love for Jesus in the way they opened their arms to those who needed help.

But what about the rest of us, who don’t have an aptitude for this type of Christian love?

Hospitality without Grumbling

The Bible still says we need to be hospitable without grumbling. This means opening our hearts, and possibly our homes to those in need. We may not have much to offer, it might be chicken fingers and grilled cheese, but if we offer it with a willing spirit, it doesn’t matter what we have provided.

As in the case of Mary and Martha, it is our heart that is important. It is how we have offered what we have. If we serve with joy and not grumbling, that is what God seeks from us.

People who come into our homes should see the Christian home we are building. They should feel as welcome as our Heavenly Father is. If there is someone in need, we should be ready to offer what we have for them, to show them hospitality without grumbling about it.

Do not hesitate to show hospitality, even if you feel like you are not good at it!

This can be scary and of course we need to be careful that we don’t let just anyone into our homes, but that doesn’t mean we should turn someone away, especially a fellow Christian. As Hebrew 13:2 says, you should show hospitality even to strangers as some have entertained angels without knowing!

We do not know who God has sent to our doorstep and what their story is. There may be hesitations but we must seek to behave as Jesus behaved and open our arms to those in need.

For myself, I know this is not something I find easy to do. I am not a big conversationalist, I like my home to be left for myself so I prefer people to let me know before they show up. That being said, I also know God asks that if the time arose, I would need to step up and into the uncomfortable to show hospitality without grumbling!