The Gospel Comes with a House Key

“Practice hospitality.”
Romans 12:13 (NIV)

Author Rosaria Butterfield once wrote, “Words make worlds.” Butterfield’s words have been shaping my world this summer in way that I could have never imagined when I first read her latest book. Earlier this summer, I listed The Gospel Comes With a House Key as one of my two “go to” books on biblical hospitality. What I didn’t share at that time was just how much Butterfield’s words were challenging me to implement and practice the hospitality principles outlined in her book.

I’ve written a good bit through the years about biblical hospitality. My Granny Muir, my Mama and other older godly women all modeled biblical hospitality for me. ( You can find some of that work here, here, and here.) Biblical hospitality is very different from entertaining. Biblical hospitality:

• focuses on others rather than self;

• provides the gift of place and 

• seeks to make others feel welcomed, wanted, and worth the trouble.

Entertaining is very different from biblical hospitality. Entertaining is Me-focused: as in my home; my things; my culinary, decorating, or housekeeping skills; my resources. In other words, my pride!

Biblical hospitality isn’t hard, but it is costly. It costs me time, resources, and getting out of my comfort zone. Following Karen Burton Mains advice to “open your heart before you open your home,” I’ve learned that biblical hospitality also requires me to open my eyes to see others’ needs and open my hands to extend practical help.

This summer the needs of others have presented themselves in many different ways. My hospitality filled summer has included:

• Hosting a family reunion at our lake house

• Helping with an unexpected bridal shower for a couple that I had never met

• Housing a visiting niece for eight days and having her impromptu birthday celebration

• Sharing our church pew with a new church member and folding him into our extended family

• Sharing a home cooked meal with a single neighbor at the beach

• Planning a well-deserved retirement reception for James Bruce’s beloved “Miss June,” our church’s Special Ones Director for many years.

My most humbling summer hospitality encounter occurred recently one hot July afternoon when I realized that two young men walking wearily from what I assumed was a summer athletic workout needed a ride home. As I stopped my car and rolled down my window, I quickly explained that I was a coach’s wife and sometimes my own sons needed rides home from summer workouts. Both young men quickly accepted my offer and then quietly explained that they were just seventh graders who had walked to get their food for lunch. They gratefully gave me directions to their respective apartments and I humbly realized that the Gospel may sometimes come with a car key instead of a house key.

My favorite summer hospitality adventure has been multiple “dinner and dialogue” conversations that Bruce and I have enjoyed with a long time friend who is just discovering the treasures of new life in Christ, personal Bible study, and discipleship. A simple phone call at the beginning of the summer soon led to “What about…” questions which then led to “Bring your Bible and your questions and come to dinner!”

Each time a hospitality opportunity has presented itself this summer, God has gently reminded me, “the gospel comes with a house key.”

Bruce and I have quickly realized that we are the ones who receive the greater blessing as we extend the gift of hospitality. Biblical hospitality occurs when we make people feel welcome, wanted, and worth the trouble. It also occurs when we extend the gift of place and allow others to be accepted, affirmed, and allowed to grow. Biblical stewardship occurs when we try to connect the blessings of God -our home, resources, and our time- to the purposes of God, the building of His Kingdom and the care of His people. The end result is God’s glory; others’ good; and our joy.

Wherever we are today, God calls each of us to connect the blessings of God to His purposes. Who is God leading us to love and serve today? How can we best use our time, talent, and treasure for another's good and God's glory?

Rosaria Butterfield once again challenges me with her words:
“Let God use your home, apartment, dorm room, front yard, community gymnasium, or garden for the purpose of making strangers into neighbors and neighbors into family. Because that is the point—building the church and living like a family, the family of God.”

The Gospel comes with a house key!