The Hospitable Man – Mi Casa Es Su Casa - Becoming a DIALED IN Man of God

“An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.” (1 Timothy 3:2, NASB1995)

“For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled.” (Titus 1:7-8, NASB1995)

The Western understanding of hospitality is, quite frankly, not biblical. First, let’s look at what hospitality is not.

Hospitality isn’t a spiritual gift. Have you heard someone say, “hospitality isn’t my gift”? The problem is that many spiritual gifts tests include hospitality as a gift, citing 1 Peter 4:9-10 as a reference: “Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

It’s clear in this passage that Peter admonished everyone to show hospitality, not just those with a natural propensity toward it. Paul, too, didn’t mention hospitality in the list of spiritual gifts in any of the three sections where he taught on the subject. Hospitality isn’t a spiritual gift but a Christian virtue for all believers.

Hospitality isn’t entertaining people you know. Ray Pritchard explains our error this way: “Unfortunately, we think hospitality happens when we invite our friends over for a party. That’s nice, it’s good, but it’s not hospitality.” Hospitality has little to do with inviting our buddies over, welcoming our children’s friends, or hosting church events. Reread that. Opening your home to people you already know is an incorrect interpretation of biblical hospitality.

Hospitality isn’t a place. I confess that I can be guilty of something at church. I call it “circling the wagons.” On Sundays, my buddies often fellowship in a circle that looks similar to a pioneer wagon train keeping dangerous intruders out. This tells guests and other guys who aren’t in our wagon perimeters, “You aren’t welcome here.” Instead, we’ve started breaking the circles into horseshoes that invite people in. Hospitality isn’t a place. It’s an attitude that says, “Mi casa es su casa.”

The early church highly valued hospitality. During the great persecutions by Roman emperors, Christians were rendered homeless. Traveling Christian preachers would seek out a Christian home and stay for the night. The fledgling church of Christ’s global expansion is due in part to Christians who showed hospitality to strangers.

The word used in 1 Timothy 3:2 is philoxenia, a compound word from two other Greek words: philos, which means “kind affection” or “love,” and xenos, which means “stranger.” Philoxenia—hospitality—means “to love strangers.” Philoxenia, hospitality, means being generous and caring for people we do not know. It’s where we get the word hospital. Hospitals are where hurting people get help from strangers called doctors and nurses.

The church is a hospital of sorts. It’s a place where people find spiritual healing and meet one another’s physical and emotional needs. Our homes, cars, and wallets should operate as mini hospitals too.

We live in a world that warns its children of “stranger danger.” Parents should use wisdom regarding strangers, but we run the risk of steering our kids toward becoming adults who, rather than following the example of Jesus, avoid people who are different from them.

We’re all strangers to someone. I thank God for the two strange young men in Belize who fixed our golf cart when it broke down at ten o’clock at night. I thank God for the strange man who jumped Shanna’s car battery in the employee parking lot after a late-night flight. I’m thankful for the strange young man who gave me water and rode with me after I bonked halfway into Moab’s Slickrock Bike Trail.

Hospitality is simple. Love people you do not know and welcome them into your space.

Walk in Christ.

Walk in love.

Walk in hospitality.

Walk close to strangers.

And remember, “Mi casa es su casa.”

DIAL IT IN:

• How has your understanding of hospitality changed, and why is it so important for a man to be an example of it?
• What are some practical ways you can show hospitality?