Invite

Invite

I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

I ONCE HEARD someone say that in order to invite people into your home, all you really need are fifteen minutes and three items: bacon, a laundry basket, and baby wipes. Fifteen minutes before someone is due to arrive, throw bacon on the stove to make your guests feel welcome, grab a laundry basket to pick up stray items from around the house, and finish up by using wipes to get rid of any sticky messes lingering on tables and floors.

Not only do I love that “necessities” include bacon—that seems like a delicious piece of advice—I appreciate the idea that welcoming others requires very little preparation. Instead, it requires only a willingness to invite others into your home, regardless of its imperfections.

I used to feel differently. A friend once told me that inviting people into my home is a gift of mine, but inside I scoffed. She didn’t know that I had nagged my husband until he moved his pile of papers from the kitchen counter and hollered at my kids to get dressed just before she arrived. But then she continued, “I always feel at home here. I love how the girls hug me and you assume I’ll stay for dinner. I like knowing where your water glasses are and that you don’t worry about washing your floor before I visit.” Put that way, her words made more sense: while I was worried about the tidiness of my home, she was focused on the welcoming warmth of our response to her visit.

It’s freeing to realize that our less-than-perfect invitation is often more than enough. When we set an extra place at our table or pour a glass of water for someone who stops by, when we invite someone who needs a hand to stay in our spare bedroom until they’re on their feet, when we live openhanded and openhearted lives that simply share what we have—our lives become an invitation. If you’re made in the image of God, you’re invited to the table. After all, this open-door living echoes the heart of God, who is always ready with an invitation.

Lord, thank you that the invitation began with you. Help us to invite others into our lives and into community. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: Invite someone to your home.