Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby, some have entertained angels unawares. ~ Hebrews 13:2
| Hospitality is the practice of receiving and entertaining strangers or guests without reward, or with kind and generous liberality. A host or hostess is one who entertains another at his own house, without reward. Do not think for one moment that the act of hospitality goes entirely without reward. I can cite you case after case where this simple, unselfish act has brought great things into the lives of kind hosts and hostesses.
We know for certain that the scriptures give a non-optional command to show hospitality to one another, and that church leaders especially are to be "lovers" of hospitality. You may be holding back, thinking, "Well, I'm not in any leadership position in the church, or society, and therefore, I needn't be concerned with hopitality." For one thing, the practice of hospitality will prepare you to be a leader, and help qualify your husband in that role. If you begin now, be well practiced, and will not have to rush to learn the skill when it is required of you in later years. For you late beginners, don't give up on hospitality just because you didn't do it in earlier years. Serving others is very enriching, and it is not that hard to get used to. |  At the Fountain by William Bouguereau |
Don't Go Overboard Begin with simple hospitality; some cake and tea, or just a bowl of stew with some savory bread of some kind. I am quite determined about this if you are not an experienced hostess, because if you get too elaborate, you will become tense, and your guests will detect it and feel unwelcome. If however, you know you are capable of providing more without being pressed for time, then do so. Remember that it is to be done without grudging, and that is why I say "keep it simple." The more elaborate it becomes, the more grudging you may feel. Too elaborate a dinner may also make the guests tense.
Don't Complain About the Effort. I have endured this in a few homes, where the hostess tells me how exhausted she is because she spent all day getting ready to entertain me. Guests will often feel so terrible about the trouble they put you to that they may even refuse to eat!
Do Not Leave Your Guests to Speak to Someone on the Phone. Use your message machine or have the caller leave a number and you can call back later. Do not neglect your guests for someone who has dropped by unexpectedly. Be sure to tell any interrupter that you are entertaining guests right now but would be happy to take the matter up with them at a later time.
If You Are Not Ready when the guests arrive, allow them to be seated in a comfortable place. If you cannot sit with them because of preparations in the kitchen, you can either provide interesting coffee-table books to occupy them, have a co-host (your husband, an older child capable of polite conversation, or friend), or bring them into a seating area in the kitchen while you see to last-minute cooking. I always try to get my kitchen area presentable enough for guests, as I have noticed that women in particular enjoy sitting at the little kitchen table while I cook.
Absolutely do not tell your guests that you have somewhere to go at a certain time. This is extremely rude. However, if you know someone for their tendency to occupy your entire day, you may wish to say, "I'd like to have you over for lunch tommorrow, from about noon until 3:30." If that doesn't work, then have these types of guests later, so that there is not a lot of time left in the day. You need to help these guests be "busy about the home" as well so that they do not begin "wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." (I Timothy 5:13).
 Gabriel D'Estress by William Powell Firth | To Whom Do We Show Hospitality?
The subject always arises when discussing this delicate topic, as to whom one should entertain. By "strangers" I do not mean that you should invite the gross, crude or vile into your home. You should also not put yourself in physical danger, and never entertain a man that is not related to you, unless other people are included. When you have children at home, it is particularly important to invite people of great spiritual strength, who will inspire and enoble them by the values shown in their conversation. This brings me to the two kinds of people you should entertain: those you need, and those who need you. Those you need will give you that lively feedback and stimulating conversation with ideas and ideals you need for spiritual upbuilding and fuel to go on, and those who need you will allow you to teach, serve and be an encourager. It is often the ones whom you serve that give you the most satisfaction in hospitality. When raising children, be sure to entertain both kinds. |
Don't apologize for the food, as this really makes the guests uneasy. If things don't turn out exactly the way they should have, or if the appearance looks starkly different from the glossy photo in the cookbook, simply re-name it or claim it as your own gourmet invention. If it is just a little too crisp or too runny or whatever, as long as it is edible, merely claim that this is the way it was supposed to be. "It's my secret recipe."
Invite interesting people with unusual ideas if they do not violate your Christian values, or if you can be an influence on them:- foreign students, inventors, different nationalities, people with education in a particular field, political people. Also, invite people who need the attention and care of your hospitality: the lonely and the neglected. Inviting people with different interests can broaden your understanding and experience in life.
| To the very young, I will say: Your social life should be directed toward loving and serving others, not just being entertained yourself. Hospitality can provide you with proper friends (yes, there is such a thing as proper friendships) and also help you to reach out to others. |  Little Pouter by William Bouguereau |
That's all for today, Ladies, and when you come again, I will tell you more about Being A Good Guest!
