Have you ever wondered how your relationship with Jesus can directly impact the way you manage your home? Read these devotions and from Hilary Bernstein to reflect on how the Gospel can shape your view of hospitality.

Welcoming with Gladness

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke 19:1–10

What kind of a welcomer are you? Do you typically light up with joy when you see someone else? Are you slow to warm? Do you stay calm and collected? Are you friendly but reserved? Outright grouchy? Bubbling with happiness? If someone says she is coming to your home, do you tend to respond with happiness or try to make excuses? Or does your response depend completely on the day you’re asked or the season of life you’re in or what’s on your mind?

Since Jesus’ earthly ministry involved frequent travel from town to town, He and His disciples experienced a lot of different welcomes. They met a lot of people and visited a lot of homes. In their journeys, they didn’t stick to themselves, and they didn’t stay secluded with the religious elite.

Rather, Jesus took the initiative to go everywhere throughout the region—Jewish territories and Gentile territories. As He went, He talked to everyone—rich and poor, religious and pagan, well and sick.

When Jesus got to Jericho, He met Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. Since tax collectors were shunned by much of society, onlookers were shocked not only that Jesus talked with this tax collector but also that He invited Himself to the house of Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus might have been shocked too, but the unanticipated visit from Jesus touched his heart in such a way that he responded from a transformed perspective.

Once Jesus said that He must stay at Zacchaeus’s house, Zacchaeus got busy immediately. First, he left his observation spot in the tree. Second, he welcomed Jesus gladly. Third, the heart of Zacchaeus was changed so much that he chose to give half of his possessions to the poor and repay anyone he cheated—not just an even repayment, but four times that amount.

Simply meeting Jesus radically changed Zacchaeus’s heart and mind in a moment. Here was a man who readily admitted that he was wealthy and that his wealth wasn’t always acquired in an honest and upright way. Yet when Zacchaeus gladly welcomed Jesus to his home (and presumably his life), he was ready to show his devotion by giving half of his possessions to the poor. He felt compelled to generously pay back what he might have taken dishonestly.

Just as Zacchaeus radically changed for the better after he had gladly welcomed Jesus, your life will be transformed when you choose to gladly welcome Jesus. Watch the way your former loves and passions pale in comparison to Him. Watch the way generosity springs up in your heart until you can’t help but share with those around you. And watch the way you’ll be able to tune out what any naysayers might say about you and listen to the Son of God’s clear call to freedom and identity in Him.

Lord Jesus, You are the one who rescues. You are the one who transforms. I praise You for the miraculous way You work and move in the hearts of people You call to Yourself. What You do is amazing! Just as Zacchaeus welcomed You to his life and home with joy, I want to welcome You to my life. May my heart be so tethered to You that I turn from my sinful ways and glorify You with a warm, glad welcome. In Your name I pray, amen.

Think It Over

• How could you improve the way you welcome people? What would make your welcomes warmer?
• Have you watched Jesus completely transform someone’s life? What was the person like before Christ stepped in? What was the person like after he or she gladly welcomed Jesus?
• If one of your personal weaknesses is money, whether it involves earning it, saving it, or spending it, what can you do to bring your finances under Christ’s lordship?
• Zacchaeus was moved to obedience once Jesus told him to come down from the tree to be an unexpected host. Like Zacchaeus, are you mentally prepared to drop everything to host an unexpected guest?

Put It into Practice

• Zacchaeus got so excited about Jesus that he was ready to give half his possessions to the poor. Take a moment to look around your home. What can you give to the poor? Gather it up and find a recipient or a local donation center.
• Zacchaeus was ready at a moment’s notice to welcome Jesus to his home. Are you ready to make a last-minute invitation? Is your home ready to welcome people at the spur of the moment?

Home Work

One of the first things your guests see when they approach your home is your entryway. What does yours look like? How inviting is it? How distracting or off-putting is it? Does it look like you’re ready to welcome people into your home? Take time this week to straighten up and clean your entryway. Yours is unique to your home, so your tasks may include sweeping the floor, cleaning a porch light, or wiping off a mailbox. If you can add something cheerful and inviting, like a potted plant or a seating area, take time to make an update!