Prodigal: Thanks for having me over.

Me: Anytime and you are a joy to be with.

Prodigal: It is nice to share your home with others.

Me: Yes, it is.

This is from the book Open Heart Open Home by Karen Burton Mains

Entertaining has little to do with real hospitality. Secular entertaining is a terrible bondage. Its source is human pride. Demanding perfection, fostering the urge to impress, it is a rigorous taskmaster that enslaves. In contrast, scriptural hospitality is a freedom which liberates.

Entertaining says, “I want to impress you with my beautiful home, my clever decorating, my gourmet cooking.” Hospitality, however, seeks to minister. It says, “This home is not mine. It is truly a gift from my Master. I am His servant and I use it as He desires.” Hospitality does not try to impress, but to serve.

Entertaining always puts things before people. “As soon as I get the house finished, the living room decorated, my place setting complete, my housework done–then I will start having people in.” The So-and so’s are coming. I must buy that new such-and such before they come.” Hospitality, however, puts people before things. “We have no furniture; we’ll eat on the floor.” The decorating may never get done. Please come just the same.” “The house is a mess-but these people are friends. We never get to see them. Let’s have this time together anyway.”

Because we are afraid to allow people to see us as we really are, we welcome the false ideal of entertaining. To perpetuate the illusion we must pretend we love housework, that we never put our hair in rollers, that our children are so well disciplined that they always pick up their toys. We must hint broadly that we manage our busy lives without difficulty. Working hard to keep people from recognizing our weak points, we also prevent them from loving us in our weakness.

Because hospitality has put away its pride, it doesn’t care if other people see our humanness. Because we are maintaining no false pretensions, people relax and feel that perhaps we can be friends.

Open your house today and guess what a lot of people including me just do not like housework so you can share that with others.

Mark 2:3

And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org