Kingdom VirtuesSample

Hospitality: create a space where no one is a stranger.

True hospitality begins not with coffee and cookies, but with a heart. It’s an attitude that says "You are welcomed. You are not a stranger. There is a place for you."

Jesus was not simply having guests, but He was breaking social barriers–touching the lepers, dining with tax collectors, talking to Samaritan woman. Hospitality is not about etiquette but about including in the community.

Nowadays, hospitality is an ability to provide space for the otherness. It’s an ability not to measure people by our own standards. It’s eagerness to listen to other people’s stories not from the judging point of view, but with the heart wide open.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Is there someone in my life today who feels like a “stranger?”
• How can I create an atmosphere of acceptance at my home, in the church, or at work?

Prayer:

Oh, God, please make my heart hospitable. Help me to see each person as a gift and not as a threat.