Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Summary: God asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) Peter helps us understand what this means.
Sometimes, when you go to the store, they will have a “twofer” going on. A twofer is a “two for the price of one” sale. Today, Peter gives us a twofer.
His first instruction is to “offer hospitality to one another.” In the early days of the church, this was a very significant and important act. Motel 6 had not yet been invented. People who traveled often had to depend on the generosity of strangers for a place to stay.
When Jesus sent the seventy-two disciples out to share the Good News of the kingdom of God, he gave them these instructions:
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.” (Luke 10: 5-7)
Peter encourages hospitality not just to strangers, but especially to brothers and sisters in Christ. Then he adds the twofer, the second instruction. We are to be hospitable “without grumbling.”
How often do we volunteer to help with a church function, only to regret it? If we show up at all to help, we do so with a bad attitude. Instead of being hospitable, we grumble. It is not a good look for someone who has had a lifetime of offenses against God forgiven.
Application: When you offer hospitality, either in your home or anywhere else, be mindful that God is watching not just what you do but how you do it.
Food for Thought: What kind of things come to mind when you hear the word ”hospitality” today?
Serving and what a wonderful thing it is to serve. I would have never thought being a servant would be such a great blessing but here I am trying to imitate the one I’m to obey. Anyone need their feet washed?
Tim,
I remember knowing someone who had moved out here from Colorado. Their first Spring in the Northwest was a revelation. They could not believe the colors that I had taken for granted. Seeing it through his eyes gave me a new appreciation for the place I have lived all my life. In the same way, reading your thoughts on serving have given me a new appreciation for being a servant. Thank you!
To me, hospitality is not just something we do in our homes, at a volunteer event, etc., it is something that can be with us every moment of every day in every situation. It is an attitude that we bring with us into every situation whether at work, at the store, at home, volunteering – doing so as we do for Him and serving those around us. I feel like people often forget we are called to serve and love others as He did but instead do so out of obligation. When volunteering around others and having the attitude of doing it out of obligation rather than out of service for Him, the attitude of obligation (or irritation) is not easily hidden from those you are there to serve. Hospitality or serving for Him comes from the heart and it’s not just service to those we don’t know. It’s also service to those within our own families.
Well said, Darla. Thank you!
Great comments Tim and Darla. Great points in the devotion as well Jeff.
I love Tim’s question at the end of his comment because that sums up the attitude well.
The word for hospitable that is used by Peter is used only here. It can also be translated as loving strangers. I always notice the word hospital in the word hospitality. In some ways we are to be a hospital for the hurting. Our words and service can edify and build up as opposed to tearing down and destroying. There is plenty of tearing down taking place in our culture. We can shine as lights in the darkness be being hospitable with a good attitude. It sticks out. Philippians 2: 14 – 15.
Rich,
What a great reference passage for today’s meditation:
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” Philippians 2: 14 – 15
I truly love this perspective from Rich. Thank you for sharing your words and thoughts.
What kind of things come to mind when you hear the word ”hospitality” today?
Being made to feel welcome. Greeted with a smile, a warm handshake or hug, a welcomed guest or friend.
Welcoming others, giving the time God has given us to others, seeking to satisfy the needs of others over our own.
We can show hospitality toward those visiting our home, or those in homes we visit. Those who serve us in stores. Tim and Darla’s comments are well stated, as Christians we should be pleased, happy showing hospitality toward all we meet. Share Gods light with those God brings to us, wherever that might be.
Thank you Ron. I’m going to add that to my book of keep quotes. “Seeking to satisfy the needs of others over our own”. Kinda sounds like what love is. Wanting to put another’s pleasure and happiness before our wants and desires.
Yes,..great comments,..thank you,..it’s not easy being hospitable in this wicked and wretched world we live in,..but it can be done through the power of the Holy Spirit that’s been placed within us.
Like Darla mentioned we can be hospitable at work,..well since I am a fence contractor when I go out on estimates to meet the potential customer I work hard at being hospitable, I give advice for free when the job is so small that they can do themselves saving them money,..I tell them that with the money they saved they can go out to a nice dinner,..I have done small fixes on fences with the tools I have in the truck while at the estimate and then I walk away without charging them,..even took a previous customer’s chain link gate home in the Mustang with the top down to re-tie it and then took it back to him and rehung it,..no charge. Well it does take approx. $450.00 for one of the trucks to move.
I know it’s a different take on being hospitable but that’s all I got,..
I was a deacon at a church I used to attend,..we had a food pantry, a free breakfast every third Saturday of the month and a clothes closet back then for to the community,..the community over near 92nd and Woodstock the bike path,..anyway that was a challenging time,..God was blessing us with resources beyond our walls could hold and the members were leaving the church,..one day before we opened the door to the food room after service on Sunday,..God allowed 15 people in the food line to follow me into the Sanctuary and ask for forgiveness of their sins,..what a day that was,..still the hospital for the hurting continued to dwindle and then we had to vote on a merge,..that’s when everything was shut down,..anyway as I said,..being hospitable isn’t easy in this wicked and wretched world we live in even in the church,..
That’s my take on it,..keep smiling!
Thank you John for pointing out what is truly at work in us when we are fully hospitable when most aren’t. The Holy Spirit. I’m amazed whenever I allow him to do works through me.