Recently, three of my son’s soccer teammates spent the weekend with us. On Saturday, the boys decided to paddle their canoes to the home of some friends of mine. Though they weren’t expecting guests, the Andersons showered the boys with hospitality when they arrived at their dock.
Their kindness truly left a mark, so when I asked the boys the next morning if they would like to visit the Andersons’ church or go to another, I had a good idea what their answer would be. “The Andersons’ church!” they shouted in unison.
Having not known my son’s teammates, the Andersons truly showed kindness to strangers (Hebrews 13:2). This left an indelible impression on the boys who—prior to that weekend—had never attended a church service before.
By letting hospitality and kindness be trademarks of their lives, my friends live out the essence of Romans 12:8, which calls believers in Jesus to use their God-given gifts. For each gift, an action is required: “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
In response to kindness, three unchurched boys were eager to enter a sanctuary where they were greeted warmly. And in that welcoming environment they heard the good news of Jesus for the first time in their lives.
As we extend kindness and hospitality, doors open for us to introduce friends and strangers to God, who “is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7). Kindness and hospitality flow from Him!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 19:1-27
More:
Read Colossians 3:12 and consider what it means to be “clothed” with kindness.
Next:
How are you using your God-given gifts to love and serve others? Who can you show kindness and hospitality to today?
alexaoj on August 27, 2016 at 7:56 am
Kindness sure goes along way in this life and in the one to come. Jesus was our example. He showed kindness to all He came in contact with. Lord help me to always think of others and live by your example, in Jesus’s name, amen.
johnswanson on August 27, 2016 at 9:17 am
I must say that hospitality is one area in which my wife and I fall very short.
hsnpoor on August 29, 2016 at 11:10 am
Morning John! Have you ever wondered why that is? Although, in the context of this devotion, hospitality is spoken of as a gift of the Spirit. But, if you read the Romans scripture a little further, you’ll discover that verse 13 says: “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality”. I read this to mean it’s really not optional; i.e., not a suggestion, but at the very least a precept we should pursue. You and your wife could be missing a blessing the Lord wants to bestow on you…. just saying…:)
johnswanson on August 29, 2016 at 1:13 pm
We are old and weak. Our house is very small. We are unable to keep it as tidy as we would like and it is too embarrassing to have people come here. So if God is going to punish us for that, I guess we will just have to endure it. (1.Cor.3:13-15)
hsnpoor on August 29, 2016 at 8:50 pm
My comment wasn’t meant to be critical, john, and I’m sorry I failed to communicate in a non-offensive way. Your original comment read across to me as though hospitality was an area that you aren’t doing well in, but you wanted to do better and I thought my comment would be an encouragement (that is how it was meant) and not an admonishment and I by no means meant to communicate that God would punish you if you failed to practice hospitality. After all, there is therefore no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. But in reply to your response, the word is hospitality, not housepitality. There are a lot of ways of practicing hospitality without inviting folks into your home. Part A of that scripture gives a clue to a good place to start. For example, I’m loathe to give people money, but I carry fast-food gift certificates and drug store gift cards to give out to those in need….
johnswanson on August 29, 2016 at 8:58 pm
We have helped out people in need for decades. We have taken dozens of trips to prisons to visit. So maybe we did something.
hsnpoor on August 30, 2016 at 11:58 am
According to Jesus, as noted in Mt. 25:35-40, you absolutely have done something the Lord has smiled upon!
minkjh on August 27, 2016 at 10:08 am
Roxanne, you may not have known your son’s teammates, but both of you along with your friends show us how the kingdom of God is supposed to work in this world. Praying that these boys come to know the Lord and develop their faith in the days ahead.
peejesusc on August 28, 2016 at 1:38 am
Amen.