Once again, Paul has a lot to say in chapter five, but in the midst of all the instruction he has for the church of Ephesus (and us), and I want to hone in on one specific instruction: Hospitality. In verses nine and ten, Paul is writing about women and widows, and how they should show hospitality. However, it’s more than “just” the woman’s role. It is the church’s role.

1 Peter 4:7-9 says, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

Not only do we need to offer it, but according to Peter, we need to offer it willingly, lovingly, and joyfully.

Once again in Romans 13, Paul encourages believers to practice hospitality.

And Hebrews 13 says, “Keep loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

When I was a kid, my home life was not always peaceful nor did it always feel safe. It was more chaotic than anything. I was lucky enough to have a lifelong friend whose mother had the gift of hospitality. I would ride the bus home with her or her mom or stepdad would pick me up. And whether it was in the car going somewhere with them or at their house eating dinner and playing games, I felt safe, and more importantly, I felt loved.

I’m not sure where I would be without that family, but I do know that my view of God and His love for me would be distorted and twisted without the example that family so kindly showed me.

And, men, hospitality is not just for women. The step-dad was also part of the hospitality that I experienced. He helped me get gas when I ran out in the middle of nowhere. He would fix us breakfast and force us to eat before we left for school. He gently showed me my weaknesses, but always – ALWAYS – did it from a place of love.

At Venture, we have House Church hosts who practice hospitality, but there are many other ways the church body can practice the gift of hospitality. For example, inviting people over for lunch/coffee/ dessert, speaking or sitting with those who are by themselves at church, or preparing food or doing yard work for someone you know who is going through a hard time. These are only a few examples, but we all need to be asking God to open our eyes to other avenues of hospitality that we have not thought of yet.

Reflection:

• Ask God to open your eyes to new ways to practice hospitality.
• Have you signed up for the “Be Generous” Challenge on the Venture Church App, yet? Complete this week’s challenge to be generous with your talents, like hospitality and generosity.

Family Content: 1 Timothy 5

By: Carrington Stuart

• Today, we’re reading a passage from the book of - you guessed it - 1 Timothy! This passage teaches us about how we should treat others who need our care. It reminds us to treat others the way that we want to be treated and to always try to do the right thing. God wants to make sure that all of His people are taken care of and have everything they need. Sometimes, He uses us to give to people, and we get to be a part of something special!
• God doesn’t ever expect us to take care of others alone - He is always with us and makes sure that we are prepared to love them well. He wants us to take care of our families, our friends, and even people who we may not be friends with.
• God also wants us to be taken care of by others! He wants us to find older people in our lives who are wise and can give us good advice. He also wants us to find friends who are encouraging and are good examples. He wants us to also be the type of friend who we would want to find - we should be willing to be selfless and kind just like Jesus is.
• Even though we should help others and find others to help us when we need it, God also wants us to be responsible. He wants us to make sure that we are always doing our best to take care of the good things He has given us and be respectful of others’ property. He doesn’t want us to cheat or be greedy when we ask others to do things for us. He doesn’t want us to do things for others just to get something in return.
• We’re supposed to love everyone and not choose favorites. Sometimes we have to serve people even if they’re not kind to us, and we don’t always feel like it. Jesus wants us to trust Him to help us be generous and kind even when we don’t think we can do it alone.
• Think of somebody in your life who you can serve this week? What is something selfless you can do for somebody in your family or at your school? Who is a wise person you can ask for advice this week?
• Prayer: God, I know that You always want Your people to be taken care of. Help me to always be willing to help others in need, even when it’s hard! I don’t want to be selfish or only help people who I like. I want to be there for everybody and tell people about Jesus. Help me find wise people and good friends in my life who can take care of me when I need them to. Thank You for always being there for me when I need You! We love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.