Southern Hospitality – it is famous around the world. If ever you want to feel really welcome, find a hospitable southern home. They act like they’ve been waiting all year for you to arrive, and when you leave, they can’t bear to see you go. That wasn’t exactly what Mary and Joseph found in Bethlehem. I guess the Israelites and middle easterners hadn’t been to the south, and learned about southern hospitality! Needless to say, the red carpet wasn’t awaiting them, and no welcome mat was at the door. It not only was a bother for Mary and Joseph to go on the trip, it was a bother for anyone to be prepared for them when they arrived. No one was hoping for their arrival.
Do you know that hospitality is a great tool for evangelism, and a great opportunity for fellowship that we often overlook? I encourage you to open your home and welcome others into your family. It happens more during the holidays, but I want to encourage you, make a choice to be hospitable. People are looking for the warm family feeling that they find in the house of the Lord. They are hoping to feel welcomed. When we open our homes with welcome, we bring the hope of friendship, the hope of companionship and the hope of belonging. Everyone wants to belong, so especially during advent, find ways to invite people into your home. If you’re thinking your home isn’t perfect, or as good as someone else’s, no worries! It is yours and that is all that matters. If you wait until everything is perfect, you’ll never have anyone over! Hospitality is just like giving. If you start when you have little, it will be a habit when you have more, and it will become your lifestyle. Remember, little become much when God is in it and God lives in your house because He lives in you. God wants you to share your home, and use it to promote His kingdom. Why not make your domain, HIS? Make your house, God’s house! I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house where the Lord lives! That is your house too! Rejoice that you get to invite people to share in the hope of belonging as they visit your home. Bring the southern hospitality feel, and a touch of heaven on earth to your front door, and bring the hope of belonging to friends, relatives, associate, neighbors, kids and even strangers, the FRANKS in your world.
Ps 122:1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.
#4 Invite someone over spontaneously today! Have cookies and coffee or something simple and share God’s love this holy season.