Open Doors - Hospitality with What You Have
Open Doors
“Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.” There was a nice carpet of green grass in this place. They sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as they wanted.” John 6:10-11, MSG
There was a nice carpet of green grass, and they sat down on it, and ate as much as they wanted.
Imagine thinking of your own home this way: available.
Imagine believing that even if your home isn’t as good as you’d like it to be, it is: enough.
Imagine how hospitality could feel: gentle.
For years, my husband and I were deep in the weeds of little-kid-rearing, day and side jobs, running a home, trying to carve out spaces of peace and family connection. It wasn’t easy to add more people to the mix in those years (and still sometimes isn’t), so we didn’t pull it off often. I felt I didn’t have the capacity or resources to create gorgeous dinner parties or promise a quiet house in the mornings or spend hours in conversation focused on guests. It was hard for me to let go of these cultural ideals and what I wanted to offer.
But slowly I figured out what we could do. We could rearrange bedrooms and make a little space for an overnight guest. We could turn our van into a makeshift office. We could invite our visitors to listen to bedtime stories or throw the football after dinner. We could set a platter of simple but pretty food on the countertop next to sippy cups and homework projects and eat on the floor when we ran out of space.
I began to think in terms of “gentle hospitality.” Offer what you have. Love people simply. Worry less about yourself and how well your home and living situation is perceived and keep your focus on how good it is for humans to connect with humans. Hospitality isn’t entertainment; it is turning toward someone with care.
Jesus and his disciples took care of people like this: a place to sit, something to eat, a shared prayer of thanks. If this is your model of hospitality, would it feel a little easier? Do you have an extra chair, an extra serving of food, and a heart of gratitude? You’re ready.
Chair + filled plate + kindness = dinner party.
Clean sheets + breakfast + hug = guest space.
Backyard firepit + drinks + stories = community.
Try one this week?
Prayer: Jesus, let us believe that the way you took care of people is the way we can, too. Help us believe that what we have to offer is enough, and give us the courage to start the offerings.