Hospitality Matters

I live in a beautiful little town at the foot of the German Alps. I have often thought of it as “Belle’s village” in Beauty and the Beast. I’ve been blessed in so many ways through this charming place.

When I got here three years ago, the first thing that happened was that my husband deployed. My three boys and I were left to fend for ourselves. We then looked for a church home. There is a military chapel here, but my experience with chapels, and chaplains in particular, had never been very good. So as soon as I got the license that would allow me to drive on German roads, we headed to Munich (about 120 km away…or 72 miles…the church we were looking for anyway).

If you’ve never driven on the autobahn, it can be a daunting experience the first couple of times. People drive fast on these roads! 120 miles an hour is the norm for some of them.

Once we got to Munich, it took me over an hour to find the church. After finding it, we sat through a portion of the service that was conducted in both English and German (which was lovely). As soon as it was time for the sermon, the English speakers headed downstairs. Then the sermon was presented…by a single man whose topic was child rearing. I bit my tongue as he said things that I thought not only unscriptural (like don’t try to make your kids read the Bible…it will just turn them off), but also untried. I have, however, sat through many sermons and discussions where I haven’t totally agreed with the speaker. This wasn’t necessarily anything that would keep me from returning. (But in all probability, I would have shared my thoughts about it with him.)

Afterwards, people came up and talked briefly with us. Then they said good-bye and headed out the door, leaving us standing by ourselves. I had just spent 2 1/2 hours trying to get myself and my children to worship service. I was miles away from our home and light years out of my comfort zone. I didn’t even know a restaurant in Munich to take my family to. We ended up driving back home, with the decision to not go back, firmly in place.

I think this was a God thing actually. I was most comfortable with worshiping as I knew how. With people who believed the same way I did. I was struggling between the idea of worshiping in Munich with people I would see only once a week, or with the people who I saw every day, in my community, but didn’t necessarily believe exactly like I did. I think God calls us to worship where we live, with the people who see our flaws. It holds us to a higher accountability. It makes us more than Sunday morning Christians. And getting me outside my comfort zone of “like-minded people,” made me more closely examine what it was exactly that I did believe.

That still brings me to this point. Hospitality. This is crucial. So many people say, “Oh, I don’t have to gift of hospitality; I just can’t open up my home like that.” Well, I have to respond gently, “I don’t think it’s an option.” It’s not a suggestion, it’s a command:

“Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Rom 12:13)

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (I Pet 4:9)

Even though the Son of Man had no place to lay His head, He sure did share a lot of meals with people. I think He knew something about fellowship that we in 21st Century America (or Germany for that matter) choose to ignore.

Does this mean that we must necessarily have people in our homes? No, I don’t think so (even though it’s not as daunting as some of us think it is). There are lots of fine restaurants out there. There are good coffee shops. There are great parks for picnics. There are even friends we have who like to open their homes. I have a few to whom I often say, “Hey, what if I invite so-n-so over to your house this weekend?” (I know, I have some pretty awesome friends…huh, Sue?)

The point is, people don’t necessarily step through our church doors because of the doctrine. It’s because they are attracted to a heart like Christ’s. The doctrine will come. But the love is visible.

I have so much more to say on this topic, but I’ll just close with this quote:

“Hospitality fleshes out love in a uniquely personal and sacrificial way. Through the ministry of hospitality, we share our most prized possessions. We share our family, home, finances, food, privacy, and time. Indeed, we share our very lives. So, hospitality is always costly. Through the ministry of hospitality, we provide friendship, acceptance, fellowship, refreshment, comfort, and love in one of the richest and deepest ways possible for humans to understand. Unless we open the doors of our homes to one another, the reality of the local church as a close-knit family of loving brothers and sisters is only a theory.”—Alexander Strauch, (The Hospitality Commands)