“Hospitality is resistance.” Resistant to the larger society who deems who is worthy and not worthy to be recognized and have dignity, resistant to a culture that no longer understands true hospitality, but even more it is resistant to my fleshly desires. My desires of judging who I think is applicable to come to the table, my desire of boundaries in my life to keep myself from being open and vulnerable. It is here in this resistance that I find myself inadequate, but where gods grace and true freedom lie.
I’m discovering that true hospitality falls into relationships not what a 5 star rating some hotel is trying to achieve. It’s not on the best service I can provide in that relationship or what I can offer either, but about me being present. Investing time into the people around me and listening and caring for them and not doing it for my benefit. Also discovering that hospitality takes on a new challenge when it is put into actual practice with actual strangers. It is not enough to have a hospitable attitude, but realizing it is a daily process of self-denying to put it into practice and to be a practioner of true hospitality.
Hospitality is a 2 way street. I’ve realized while reading this book and have been challenged by the importance of being a guest versus a host. I struggle with being independent and self-sufficient. The statement in the book “…The pinnacle of lovelessness is not our unwillingness to be a neighbor to someone, but our unwillingness to allow them to be a neighbor to us” has resonated with me. The author talks in the book how sometimes people are more comfortable being the host then ever being the guest, because we are familiar with the role of being a host or helper and not certain about being equals with the people you are serving. Because with that comes vulnerability and accountability.
While reading this book I have felt broken, and inadequate to do the work of God and this way of life that he has called me to live, from starting to understand what true hospitality is all about. Realizing that true hospitality transcends all boundaries, boundaries that society puts up, boundaries that I put up. Christ abolished all boundaries. “…It is not our table to which to welcome people; it is God’s table to which we come as equals.” Hospitality is our way of showing gods love to the world through us and our open doors to welcome people in.
I was also challenged by the thought that I would much rather play the host than the guest, which makes me ask the question, if I'm playing the host because I'm more comfortable that way where does the hospitality lie in my actions?
ReplyDeleteCassie, thank you for your vulnerability in this paper. I appreciate you sharing your brokenness. Perhaps it is through brokenness that our hearts begin to reflect that of Christ's and the spirit of hospitality is cultivated.
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