Being Welcoming
This past Sunday’s teaching was from Romans 15:7-21, where Paul reminds us to be welcoming, and what that looks like.
That subject has been on my mind lately. What does that look like in today’s world, in my life?
For many, that often looked like inviting people over for dinner or coffee, and spending hours ahead of time cleaning until the house shines. No toys out, no boots or clothes or clutter. Cooking the most extravagent meal, using the best china, setting out the beautifully-arranged snacks. Like the perfectly curated images one sees on Instagram.
For a long time, that’s what hospitality meant to me. Presenting my very best self – no scars, no wrinkles….no sadness, no hurts. And often that meant being a bit critical of those who showed their own messiness or weakness.
God’s been working hard on this in me and I’ve come to realize that that isn’t what welcoming or hospitality means at all.
In Romans, Paul reminds us to “accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God”.* Note to self: that means that we are welcoming NOT to bring glory to ourselves, but Him. NOT to show how fancy our house is, how clean we are, what a great cook we might be. But to show others that through God’s great mercy, we are all welcome.
For me, that means inviting people over to my messy house so we can connect with each other. Meeting that friend for coffee and encouraging her to share her heart. Going to bible study and lifting each other up in prayer during our roughest challenges. Sitting on the floor with toddlers during home school child care and modeling God’s deep love for them. Being vulnerable with others and showing they can be vulnerable with me.
In short, showing God’s grace in every single encounter I make, big or small. Showing grace to myself when I mess it up, and doing it again. And again. And again – just like Jesus showed us.
And in the process, feeling God’s love in my heart and knowing that I can trust him with my heart. And because of that, I can trust others with my true heart as well.
As Paul said in Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Yours faithfully,
Sally
*Romans 15:7