Ponderings...
What does hospitality mean? To strangers, to people of God? What does hospitality mean when I've 3 little children and often it's hectic to make a meal just for us. What are we called to as followers of Jesus, when Jesus gave us many examples of eating with sinners and those who were looked upon as "outcasts" in society, when He talks about inviting those who cannot "return the favor" of a dinner invitation?
When do I keep opening my home up for someone who needs a place to stay when her own home is no longer safe, but she eventually goes back home, even though the person she lives with has made no effort to change? What does Christ call us to? In situations like this, do we continue opening our home with the love of Christ Who always takes us back even though we sin over and over, or are we not enforcing accountability when we allow her to stay here time and again?
Oh for Wisdom and a fresh cleansing warm breeze from the Wind (or maybe I need the Wind to knock me over?!)!
Thoughts to share?
2 comments:
Goooooood questions. I think about these very same things often. In regards to hospitality with young children, despite the fact that hospitality is something I really have a heart for and desire to do, I have made an official decision that we're just not going to even TRY until Layla is at least 6 months old. This is after having a few guests over before she was 3 months old. The stress level was just too intense, trying to get a meal ready WHILE keeping the house tolerably neat before people arrived.
Just this morning I was thinking about having a meal where we would invite those who couldn't return the favor and who could use some good food...but again, it wouldn't be in this season, and so many of my ideas like that seem to never leave the drawing board. Our church does do something like that for Thanksgiving, though. Good food and free clothes and food for them to make a Thanksgiving meal.
Maybe a key ingredient that moms of young children should include in their planning is not carrying the whole weight of hospitality on themselves. Dividing responsibilities, perhaps, when meeting with other believers. One mom host, one mom cook the main dish, one mom do dessert. Dunno.
I really would like to have our neighbors over - but just like you said - mealtime is just SO hectic at this stage of life for us BY OURSELVES.
And in regards to the second part - doesn't loving like we are called to love get confusing?? It's just always messy and rarely clear cut, it seems like. I have no answers for that. After an experience we had in a similar area, though, I have drawn a lot clearer boundaries. What we can take as a family without a lot of additional stress is just important at this stage. People who need help usually have other resources beside you, and if they don't, you can help point them to some. You aren't closing your heart to them just because you aren't repeatedly opening your own home to them. And in terms of accountability, if someone isn't SEEKING accountability, I don't know how well it works to try to make them accountable.
Carrie,
Thanks for your insight. Yeah, it's good to hear from another mom about "seasons", and that keeping my heart open and willing to help is good. I hear you on the stress level of hosting with little ones. I think I'm learning more and more to be OK with having people over and letting them see us live in our "natural environment" albeit clean or hurricane messy on any given day.
It's hard to know how to serve when there's little ones involved, that's all there is to it!
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