5 Strategies for Heart-to-Heart Hospitality
by Annie Yorty
Last week we defined biblical hospitality as using our God-given resources to invite people into our hearts and homes for His glory. This week let’s consider 5 strategies for heart-to-heart hospitality in everyday life.
Brands of Hospitality
In Pennsylvania Dutch country where I come from, hospitality means lots of good food and service to others. Midwesterners are known for their friendliness and generosity. Southern hospitality offers gracious charm and politeness. New Englanders are congenial and down-to-earth.
I know these regional stereotypes have many exceptions, but we do see cultural differences in the expression of hospitality. We can celebrate these differences even as we unite under the banner of God’s eternal purpose for reaching out to invite others into our hearts and homes.
Prayerfully invite people into your home and heart through biblical hospitality. #annieyorty Click To Tweet5 Strategies to Extend Heart Hospitality
1. Remember your home is given to you by God for stewardship.
In Matthew 25, Jesus related the parable of a master who gave several servants varying amounts of talents (money) to steward. The master expected the money to be multiplied through investment. Two of the three servants risked the money to produce a profit. The third buried his money and had no increase to show the master.
Consider your home, whatever its size or condition, as a “talent” given by God. So are your energy and time. Will you “invest” these assets to multiply their benefit? Will you make yourself and your home available for God to use whenever and however He leads?
2. Strategically, with prayer, invite people to your home.
According to Peter, God gives each of us gifts chosen from “his great variety.” And there’s also quite a variety of needs among those who might receive our hospitality. How are we to narrow down whom we should host? We go to the One who knows, of course. Ask, and God will direct your efforts.
Peter advises us to hone in on our gifts to maximize them. Do you relate well with children? Host a neighborhood Bible club for kids. What about teens? They always need a fun, safe place to hang out. Throw a pizza in the oven and invite your daughter’s friends over to bake cookies.
What if your passion is organizing events? Coordinate a block party so your neighbors can meet and get to know each other. If you’re drawn to cross-cultural opportunities, offer to host a foreign exchange student or a missionary home on furlough. If God’s Word is your groove, invite a small group to come for Bible discussion.
Consider your gifting and ask God to give you creative ideas to express and multiply it.
3. Be prepared for last-minute opportunities.
As a military member, my husband maintained a “to go” bag in case of quick deployment. In the same way, his Grandma Tilly baked several pies each week to serve to friends who just happened to drop in.
You may balk at the idea of weekly baking, but you can prepare a hosting “ready” bag by implementing some of the following ideas.
Keep a box of cookie dough in the freezer to produce mouth-watering chocolate chip delight at a moment’s notice.
Stash a box of chocolates where no one will raid them so they’re on hand to serve to a friend along with hot tea and encouragement.
Keep an air mattress, clean sheets, and towels ready in case of an unexpected overnight guest.
Stock a guest basket with standard toiletries so you’re not scrounging around if a visitor forgets a toothbrush.
Thinking and preparing ahead of time enables us to display a generous and cheerful attitude when using our gift of hosting rather than feeling put out and grumpy.
4. Keep your hosting authentic to who you are.
Despite what magazines and lifestyle blogs imply, hosting isn’t one size fits all. Do what matches your personality and abilities.
Where I’m from, a restaurant named “Good ‘N Plenty” attracted thousands of patrons every year because its food was, as advertised, good and plentiful. That’s how I do hospitality. While I admire and enjoy southern attention to detail, it’s not my style.
As you inject your authentic self into hosting, also bear in mind the desired outcome to bring God glory. I find that often my own glorification creeps into my hospitality.
When I become stressed because everything isn’t going according to my carefully laid plans, I know I need to simplify and refocus on my guests and my God. Hosting should never be an outward show. Instead, it should simply display the character of our great God.
5. Open your heart along with your home.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8 NLT)
Ultimately, hospitality is about opening your heart so others can see, touch, and taste that the Lord is good. Hosting others mirrors the heart of Jesus, who died on a cross and became the open door to a relationship with God. And God Himself will be hosting those who choose to follow Him in a magnificent home He’s preparing in heaven.
How is God calling you to throw open the door to your home and invite people to experience God’s blessing?
Join the conversation:
Which of these 5 strategies for heart hospitality do you think you could use?
I welcome your comments!
Copyright ©2023 Annie Yorty
*Portions of this blog were excerpted from 5 Ways to Use Your Gift of Hosting at Crosswalk.
Biblical Hospitality
14 Comments
Nancy E. Head
Hospitality is largely a lost art today. We miss so many blessings when we don’t open heart and home.
Thanks, Annie, for spreading this important message. God bless!
Annie Yorty
Since I’ve been on both sides of the fence with hospitality, I now know I was missing a rich part of life when I wasn’t opening my home. Thanks for visiting and adding to the conversation, Nancy!
Wendy Dellinger
Annie ~ I love your suggestion to have some things ready ahead of time. I’m trying to do that with clean-up/pick-up also, ‘just in case.’ Your reminders here about the importance of opening our hearts and homes are good and timely–thanks!
Annie Yorty
Thanks, Wendy, for stopping by. You’ve added a great suggestion. I will say I’ve found most people don’t even care if my house is cleaned up. And I need to learn to let it go if anyone who focuses on judging the house. God bless!
J.D. WIninger
Amen Ms. Annie. Are we hospitable out of love or obligation? Maybe it’s both. God obligates us to show His love to others. One way we do that is through true hospitality to others. I think my adopted mama was my greatest example of hospitality. She did her best to greet everyone with a smile and to be inviting in all circumstances. From my military days perhaps, I learned to be keenly aware of my surroundings and super-cautious in strange situations. While those aren’t bad habits to have in these days of uncertainty, I’ve found that mama’s lessons of being hospitable is still possible, even when I’m “on guard.” Our home is the best place to practice hospitality though. It’s here that we practice what we need to be preaching out there in the world. God’s blessings ma’am.
Annie Yorty
I think you’re right about hospitality being both an obligation and an act of love. I guess we all carry some baggage from our childhood that influences our tendency to open our homes and hearts. But God transforms us from the inside out and sets everything right by the power of His Spirit. Thanks, J.D., for visiting and adding your insights to the conversation.
Katherine Pasour
You mention “opening our hearts.” I think that’s the most important aspect of hospitality, whether it’s hosting something in our homes, assisting others as they host, or reaching out in love to others to meet a specific need. You’ve shared very helpful strategies for ways we can share love with others. Thank you, Annie.
Annie Yorty
Yes, just like everything else in life with God, our heart attitude is crucial. Thanks for stopping by, Katherine!
Barbara Latta
Hospitality is part of the Bible as the culture of the middle east was to welcome strangers and travelers and give them comfort, food, and rest. Although we don’t usually invite strangers into our homes, this principle still applies as God does want us to reach out to each other and fellowship together. Thanks for sharing this, Annie.
Annie Yorty
That’s a great point, Barbara. We can learn much from other cultures about hospitality. Thanks for visiting!
Leigh DeLozier
Hospitality was my grandmother’s gift — she loved nothing more than inviting people over and feeding them well. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder of how important hospitality and opening our hearts to others are, even (or especially) in today’s busy world.
Annie Yorty
My husband’s grandmother was like that too, Leigh. She lived in a small town and never drove a car herself. But she always had people visiting her because she was so inviting and easy to talk to. Thank you for visiting and sharing your perspective.
Jeannie Waters
This statement challenged me, Annie: “Consider your home, whatever its size or condition, as a “talent” given by God.” Our home is a gift from Him, and we need to use it every way we can for His glory. I loved your strategies and the just-in-case ideas. Thank you.
Annie Yorty
Thank you, Jeannie. I know this subject is also near and dear to your heart. God bless you!