Hospitality for Busy Moms: Living Out the Gospel One Hectic Meal at a Time
If you’ve ever read passages like 1 Peter 4:9—“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling”—with a pang of guilt, you’re not alone.
Offering hospitality can be really hard with young children. Every toy I pick up seems to get pulled out behind me. Everyone wants to “help,” and I simultaneously feel the frustration of things not really getting done and the guilt of not letting my kids “help” enough.
We want to obey God, but it’s hard. Even when we finally let the door open a crack for others to see the inner workings of our homes, we make apologies about the mess, or the children’s behavior, or the lack of quiet.
But mama, the truth is, we need hospitality.
God’s commands are always for our good, not to burden us. They’re given for our joy and God’s glory. If you’ve ever questioned whether God really knew what he was commanding when he told his people to offer hospitality, just read the end of 1 Peter 4:9. God knew we would struggle with inconvenience and shame and exhaustion. That’s why the verse concludes with the phrase “without grumbling.” He knew this would be hard for us.
But God is a hospitable God, and he has lavished us with that hospitality. Out of the abundance we have received, we can pour out.
God’s Hospitality
In his beautiful and bountiful creation, God gave us everything we could need to grow and develop. When Adam and Eve turned their backs on his gracious welcome and trusted in their foolish pride, God had a plan to make things even better than before—he sent Christ to redeem his people. He’s currently gathering his bride to himself, and he’s preparing a place for us to dwell with him forever.
He welcomes those who do not deserve welcome.
Christ’s kindness and generosity during his earthly ministry toward the unbelieving world was staggering as he ate meals and lived life with men and women. When he returns and his people are gathered to him, he will host a feast, and we’ll understand God’s hospitality in an ultimate sense.[1]
Even now, as we enjoy communion with other believers in our churches, we’re not only remembering, but also foreshadowing that beautiful day when we’ll sit around a table prepared for us by our Savior and eat a meal by his side.
Our Hospitality
Hospitality is important for all of God’s people—men and women, leaders and lay people, single people and parents whose houses are overflowing with children. None of us escape the call of God to open our homes and our lives for his glory.[2]
Because that’s true, it’s helpful to note that Christian hospitality is more than perfect centerpieces and well-curated home decor (although it can absolutely include that if you want it to!).
Hospitality is, at its heart, a weapon of warfare in the hands of God. It’s a tool with which he pushes back the forces of evil in the world. Through hospitality, he reveals to the watching world just how amazing his love is as it’s lived out in his people.
God showcases his glory through us as we welcome one another.
When we open ourselves to real relationships through a warm greeting and a hot meal, we announce that Satan has not gained the ultimate victory and God’s purpose for the good of humanity will stand. We show the world that God has a plan to welcome his enemies into his presence in a way that will confound our culture. We show our children that real relationships with real people are more important than reputation or achievement.
Hospitality proclaims to sin and Satan that their dominion is not eternal, that relationships between image bearers, though impacted by sin, can stand under gospel grace, that God’s love poured out in our hearts is enough to transform our lives and relationships.[3]
The Joy of Hospitality
1 Peter 4:9 is about hospitality, but it’s also about our heart attitude as we offer hospitality. God could have stopped at commanding hospitality, but he knew our tendency to grumble when we’re inconvenienced. Hospitality has deep, lasting purpose in the hands of God, and he desires that we find joy as we participate in his work in the world through this means.
And God cares about our grumbling because hospitality displays his character. If we’re to welcome others the way Christ has welcomed us, we will welcome without grumbling because Christ was a willing sacrifice on our behalf.[5]
This kind of hospitality often feels impossible, and it is if we attempt it in our own strength. But the supernatural work of our Helper, the Holy Spirit, enables our joy. We walk by faith, trusting that God will provide not only the opportunities to be hospitable, but also the power to open our doors with joy. God supplies the strength and God receives the glory.
Through our joyous reception of guests, even with young children clinging to our sides, and throwing temper tantrums, and pushing all our buttons, we show our guests and our children that we believe God is able to work through simple means for his profound glory—and that is beautiful.
[1] Revelation 19
[2] 1 Peter 4:9; Romans 12:13; Romans 15:7
[3] Romans 5:5
[4] Romans 15:7
[5]1 John 3:16
