Hospitality Is About Love

There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

—Deuteronomy 12:7

As Christians, we are called to hospitality. But there’s no one right way to practice hospitality, so find a way to entertain that works for you. Hospitality is about love, not about performance. If there’s a time crunch, leave the food till the last few minutes. Guests don’t mind helping in the kitchen, but it’s no fun to leave them in the living room while you put on makeup. No matter how unimpressive the food is or how messy the house is, if you greet your guests at the door with happiness and warmth, they’ll feel glad they came.

At the same time, the food can be flawless and the napkins fashioned into origami, but if the host is so nervous it’s clear she’s counting the minutes till you leave, nothing can save that party. It’s easy to get carried away with an ambitious menu, and then spend the whole night flinging things around your kitchen and being annoyed with your guests for having the audacity to try to talk with you. Everyone would rather have a simpler meal and a happier host. The warmth and love you show your guests is the key ingredient in any gathering.