Temperature Wars - Hospitality

 Previous "Temperature Wars" Posts:

• Temperature Wars - Warming Up Our Homes
• Temperature Wars - Lifting Him Up
• Temperature Wars - Calvary Love
• Temperature Wars - Rules or Relationship? 
• Temperature Wars - Prayer {Part 1}
• Temperature Wars - Prayer {Part 2}

I started this series a few weeks back, and I named it "Temperature Wars".  You see, as moms, you and I are the thermostats of our homes; the spirit of our homes. If there's a bad spirit in my home, there's a big chance it's my fault.  There are so many ways that we, as wives and mothers, can warm up our homes. 

The next 2 weeks will be about Hospitality.  

What does the Bible say about hospitality??

• Romans 12:9-13 ~ ...cleave to that which is good...given to hospitality.  {You should read the other verses to see how they all fit together.  Hospitality is considered a good thing and something we should cleave to.}
• Hebrews 13:2 ~ Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
• I Timothy 3:2 ~  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  {The qualifications of a Bishop (or Pastor)} 
• Titus 1:8 ~ But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;  {More qualifications of a pastor}
• I Peter 4:9 ~  Use HOSPITALITY one to another without grudging.  {This is for all Christians every where.}

 

It is quite obvious to me that God wants us to be hospitable!  We can warm up our homes and teach our children to love others by doing it.  

The dictionary definition of Hospitality is:  the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guest and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.

Seems to me like a Christian home should be known as a "warm, generous, friendly" place.  

Let's consider the Shunammite woman in II Kings 4:8-37

For the sake of space, I will not be posting this whole Scripture here, but you can read it for yourself here.

This Shunammite woman is not mentioned by name, but the Bible {God} refers to her as a "great woman".  What Christian lady wouldn't want God to refer to her as a "great woman"??  I would!!  But why was this woman considered great by God?  What did she do that made her so great??

She was simply hospitable.  She "constrained" or convinced God's man to stay with her and her husband every time he was passing through their area.  She fed him.  She housed him.  She served him.  She was an all around great woman!  

The Bible doesn't tell us if this couple had money.  We don't know much about them at all except for the fact that this woman wanted to help take care of God's man.  She even talked her husband into building a room onto the side of their house for the prophet to stay in when he traveled through!  {Ever heard of a "Prophet's Chamber"??  We should remember this woman every time we use this term!}

When asked {verse 13} what she wanted in return for her hospitality, she insisted that she had everything she needed.  She wasn't in it to get something.  She was in it to show her love and to give whatever she could to help others.  

Elisha knew that she didn't have any children and tells her that God is going to give her a son. Think of that!  Because of her hospitality, God gave her a son!!  What better 'reward' than a son!?! 

The rest of the story is amazing.  One day the little boy goes out to the field with his daddy and something happens.  Maybe he bumped his head playing, or just gets a head ache.  We are not told anything specifically.  We are told that his daddy sent him home to be cared for by his mother.  He probably didn't think it was that big of a deal and something that would clear up and go away.  But the problem was worse than he thought.  Or, perhaps it became worse as the day went on.  However it happened the little boy died.  The Sunammite woman laid him on the bed in the room she had prepared for the Man of God, and she went for help.  In the end of the story her son is brought back to life by Elisha and everyone is happy!  

Just think of the stories that little boy could tell his children!  Can't you just hear him?  "When I was young we used to take care of the prophet of God!  One day I remember going out to the field....   ....and then I remember someone laying on top of me and I sneezed seven times....  My mom was so excited!  That was a great day!" 

Think of the stories and fun your children will have to tell about and the things they will learn if you love God's people by showing hospitality!  We may not see children raised to life anymore, but we can see great things happen in the lives of our children when we love others and teach them to do the same.  Not only will they learn to love others, but think of the people they could meet and the things they could learn from those people!  Hospitality is a win-win situation! 

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