Topic of Discussion: Hospitality
*This 2nd part to our interview had to be paraphrased because my audio recording reached it's capacity and I had to revert to pen and paper.*
Mandy: God has been challenging me lately about what hospitality is. In the wider context of the New Testament, hospitality was Gospel-focused. Hospitality was shown to strangers; foreigners. When people traveled there weren't diners, there wasn't an inn. Hospitality was needed. That's been challenging to me, because hospitality is more about having people over who are strangers than just having your friends over.
I'm trying to be more biblical in my hospitality. Having people over, who can't repay you or it wouldn't be easy for them to. I'm seeking hospitality that is harder for me. Since Marc and I moved up here to Kentucky we've had about 10-15 internationals over! People from Nepal, India, China...
For most of these foreigners, dinner with us, was the first time they had ever had a meal in an American home! One of them has come to Christ! We shared the Gospel, to the best of our ability (due to the language barrier) and we prayed. Others who spoke Chinese fluently went deeper into discipleship with her.
We've had our deaf neighbors over. We don't sign. We had to find someone from a local church who was a Believer, who could sign, and they came to translate! We found out that this older, deaf couple are actually Christians and we got to hear their testimonies! We also found out their needs. They are older and have health problems and I'm in healthcare so I've been able to help them out. And Marc is an IT guy and their sole communication with others is via the Internet. When they have computer problems, they call Marc!
We had another older gentleman over; a neighbor of ours. And he isn't "easy" to have over because he is hard of hearing and he repeats himself a lot.
But I'm learning that you don't just show hospitality to those who are "easy". It will be challenging but a blessing in the end.
Sam: That is awesome! This is challenging stuff, but great!
Mandy, how would you encourage others to be more open with their homes?
Mandy: Hmm, I think the best thing to do is figure out why you don't want to. This is where my classes in Biblical Counseling come in! A few years ago, if you said "It's hard for me". I would have replied, "Just do it!". But now, I would say, examine yourself.
Do you feel inadequate? You are relying on yourself. You must lean on Christ!
Is it inconvenient? Christ washed the disciples feet. That was inconvenient. We need to be more like Christ!
I'd say, identify the barriers.
Bring it to Scripture.
Renew that thought with Scripture, making it submissive to God!
Think about how you want to feel in someone's home. The home doesn't need to be spotless. You are happy when someone loves you; to have a friend. Coffee shops are great, but people grow most in homes.
Sam: Good advice!
Mandy, what are some of your favorite verses pertaining to hospitality?
Mandy: Acts 18:26 when they took Apollos into their home. I know it doesn't go into much detail. But it looks like discipleship happening in the context of their home!
"He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained the way of God to him more accurately."
And then, I just heard a sermon recently on the passage from 1 Timothy 5, talking to the church about widows. And it speaks to the fact that godly widows should have "shown hospitality" in their younger years.
Sam: Thank-you so much Mandy, for your time and for sharing with us! It is very encouraging to see how God is working through you and your home!
If you would like to hear the sermon that Mandy referenced go to Kenwood Baptist's website, click on resources and search 1 Timothy 5:9-16 "Our Widows: Exemplars of Godly Womanhood." I listened to it and was encouraged further to use my energy, home and resources to bless others for the sake of God's Kingdom!
http://kenwoodbaptistchurch.com/resources/sermon-audio
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