Five Reasons We DON'T Practice Hospitality

In the book “The Simplest Way to Change the World” five common reasons are provided to help explain why we may struggle to have others into our homes. These reasons provide a simple way for us to examine our hearts about what may be preventing us from using our homes as tools for the Lord.

1. “My house is a wreck.” We often fear what others will think of us if the level of cleanliness or orderliness in our home doesn’t meet their expectations. Though we want our homes to be inviting, they do not have to be perfect; we’re not perfect, so our homes don’t have to be either.

2. “I don’t like to entertain.” Entertaining and hospitality are not the same thing. We do not have to be overly witty or charming or funny in order to be hospitable. One easy way to keep conversation rolling is to simply ask others questions about their life; people love to talk about themselves!

3. “I’ll have to cook.” Being hospitable does not mean we have to be a magnificent cook. In fact, we don’t even necessarily have to cook. Ordering takeout or making coffee or buying cheap cookies is perfectly fine. A three-course meal with expensive ingredients is not necessary.

4. “We have kids.” Admittedly, the presence of children in a home makes things a little more nuts (not to mention a hyperactive dog at our house). Kids bring a “messiness” into the equation, but it’s okay. Again, our lives our “messy” in a variety of ways, and we are meant to know each other in the midst of messiness.

5. “My home is too small.” A large home is not a prerequisite for having people over. Those who live in smaller homes may just have to limit how many people they can have over at one time. We live in a 1,200 square foot home, which significantly limits how many people we can have over. So, we reserve our times for hosting larger groups to seasons where we can spill over into the yard!