Hospitality has always been an essential part of the witness of the church, and it still is today. Hospitality provides the arms and the legs to our faith in Jesus Christ. In a world that is increasingly skeptical, wary of cheap talk and exaggerated claims, the living witness of hospitality cuts through the cynicism that surrounds Christianity. To the cries of younger generations to “prove it,” faithful hospitality provides a convincing rebuttal. Our actions as the church support us. Hospitality speaks volumes about God’s presence among us. Don’t dismiss it or underestimate it. It is key to our witness about the gospel.
This message is adapted from “Our Gift of Hospitality” written by Marta Poling-Goldene in the April 2001 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.