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Today’s Opportunity to Grow Toward Christ-Hospitality

February 2nd, 2011

JOHN SHIRK – Hospitality can be defined by a generous or cordial reception of guests.  Another way of looking at the heart of hospitality is “love of strangers.”

First Peter 4:9 says, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”  The love of Christ will be expressed to strangers in the outreach of a cheerful heart.  The New Living Translation says it this way: “Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.”

There are some practical ways to live this verse out. Look for ways to reach out to a new neighbor.  We can welcome them to the neighborhood by taking them a meal or just dropping by to introduce ourselves.  If a person visits our church, we can invite them to eat dinner with us. Another idea is to set up a guest room for missionaries or others who travel a lot. Hosting a foreign exchange student or foster parenting can be seen as a form of hospitality. We can also be considerate of those who live alone and invite them to spend a holiday with us. There is great potential to make new friends when we are compelled by God’s love to extend ourselves in these ways.

What are some ways that you have reached out with hospitality or been blessed by the hospitality of others?

Being hospitable is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com




  1. Nancy Schell
    February 4th, 2011 at 07:58 | #1

    Thanks for the reminder, and importance of hospitality.

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