Open Hearts and
Open Homes
Acts 16:15
And when she and
her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have
judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she
persuaded us.
One of Britain's queens, Victoria, and her husband
Prince Albert visited his childhood home in Bavaria. The prince's birthplace and boyhood home was
a small castle known as Schloss Rosenau. Queen Victoria was so charmed by the welcome
of the castle that she wrote, ""How happy and how joyful we felt on
awakening to feel ourselves here."" The queen appreciated the warmth
and sincerity of her welcome to the home.
Paul must have felt the same kind of warmth
and welcome in the home of Lydia, the first recorded European convert to
Christianity. This woman was successful
in business and generous in heart, and after accepting Christ into her heart
she opened her home to Paul and his associates.
Lydia's first actions after receiving Christ
testified to her salvation. She
immediately shared the gospel with her entire household and, we are told, they
were all saved. Then Lydia presented
herself and her family for baptism, a step of obedience that publicly
proclaimed her believing in Christ.
After Paul was taken into custody and
illegally beaten and jailed, when he was released he went back to her home and
stayed for what may have been many days.
Nothing is written about her flinching away from Paul after he went
through this.
Hospitality has taken on a different meaning
in our day. Hotels take away the need
for believers to open their homes to visiting missionaries or to other visitors
to our churches. But if you have ever
hosted someone in your home who has come to minister in your church, you know
the joy of hospitality. If you've never
done it, you don't know what you're missing.
The “domestic arts” have become big
business. Magazines and books that focus
on cooking and home improvement are available in most stores and library
shelves groan under their weight. People
have become obsessed with improving their homes and their ability to host
parties. The Bible gives exhortations in
a few places to believers telling us to offer hospitality. One verse even warns us that some have
entertained angels unawares. But fear
not, God does not expect all of us to live in homes that could be featured on
television or cook like award-winning chefs. Our offering of hospitality needs to be sincere
and warm and freely offered. The example
of Lydia should be our inspiration. Lydia
connected the practice of hospitality with her faith in Jesus.
Interestingly, the word “hospitality” in in
Webster’s dictionary between “hospice,” a place of shelter, and “hospital,” a
place of healing. Remember that when
offering hospitality. When you open our
home in the true spirit of hospitality, you offer both shelter and healing.
How can you extend hospitality to others? The first purpose is not to impress others but
to meet their needs – shelter, food, companionship, relationship, or a safe
place. Ask the Lord to shape your
attitude toward hospitality and to give you opportunities to offer this
blessing to others.
Stephen
Cram September
8, 2013
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy
and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of
the world, and not in accordance with Christ. Colossians 2:8
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