One of the best books I have ever read about hospitality is The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield. It’s about how God used an invitation to dinner to open her heart to him and how, in the future, she offered radical hospitality to other unbelievers. I read this book while writing book reviews for a client years ago, and it never left me. So, how do we embrace hospitality and create a warm Christian home?
Understanding the Biblical Foundation of Hospitality
God gave us several commandments, one of which is to welcome and care for strangers, emphasizing love and generosity. This is one fundamental of our faith and how we show Christ’s love to others in a tangible form. It is also where the Biblical foundation of hospitality comes from.
Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere: The Role of Your Home Environment
Creating a welcoming atmosphere is essential for hospitality; you can do this differently.
Make it Cozy. Blankets, extra throw pillows, and rugs add warmth and encourage talking on the couch.
Soft Lighting-Consider using lightbulbs with warm tones, candles, and lamps you can dim.
Try some warm scents. You can do this in different ways, like candles (traditional or wax melts), baking something, or simmering pots. Think scents like pumpkin spice in the fall, apple cinnamon in the winter, floral scents in spring, and citrusy scents in the summer.
Clean and get rid of clutter—Keeping your space clean and clutter-free is good for you physically and mentally and makes it more welcoming. Get rid of clutter daily so it’s not an enormous chore when someone comes over or pops in.
Thoughtful decor– Display photos of your family, relatives, and pets. Buy decor with funny sayings or your favorite Bible verses. These will add a personal touch to your home. It’s also fun to change these out with the seasons. Space to Create a space in your living room for guests to gather. As mentioned earlier, blankets and throw pillows will add to this effect. You also want to ensure a coffee table is nearby to put cups and dishes on.
Incorporate Nature– Have some potted plants around or at least some seasonal arrangements on your kitchen and coffee tables. Fake flowers may be best if you have pets or kids like to get into things.
Play soft music – Soft music creates a relaxing atmosphere for you and your guests. You can make a playlist or download one artist’s album. When I think of soothing music, I think of Jim Brickman, Chris Botti, or George Winston.
Put out some snacks- We all know that food fosters community, so put out a fruit and cheese platter or a bowl of trail mix or nuts. This will make guests feel more welcome.
Give a warm welcome- Be genuine when welcoming someone into your home. Smile when you open the door, offer to take their coat, and wave them into a room where they can sit, relax, and chat. Their first impression of you will mean everything.
Inviting Interactions: The Importance of Personal Relationships
Having personal relationships with other people is very important. Both online and in-person. Those who feel supported in their relationships have less of a risk of anxiety and depression.
This requires mutual respect, clear communication, and the ability to handle conflicts constructively. It is important to remember this no matter who is in your home: long-time friends and family members, your children, or new people you have just met.
Feeding the Soul: Christian Meals and Fellowship
Food brings us all together. The Bible repeatedly demonstrates this, from the Last Supper to the story about the five fish and two loaves of bread. There are many ways to make having a meal in your home more welcoming.
-Always say grace before you eat.
-Have warm, engaging conversations.
-Discuss the Bible or favorite Bible verses if the atmosphere is right. (This means you gauge the individual to see if they are new to your table. I’m not saying don’t share your faith, but you may need to wait until the right opportunity comes.)
-End your meal with something delicious and a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa.
Encouraging Open Doors: Practical Tips for Hosting Guests
Here are some tips for hosting your guests.
Simplify the space -mentioned earlier, and clean up clutter around your home. Other tips include tidying your living room, bathroom, and entryway—and closing doors to less-used rooms.
Prep Ahead- Stock essentials like napkins, drinks, and snacks ahead. Choose simple meals like a casserole with a hot vegetable or salad or a meal in the crock.
Share the Load- Ask your family to help with cleaning and cooking if possible.
Embrace Imperfection: The most prepared gatherings don’t always go perfectly, and that’s okay. Instead, focus on connection. And skip the apologies if your home isn’t spotless’s about how you make your guests feel, not appearances. How you make them feel is something they will remember for a lifetime.
Please keep it simple. Keep extra snacks on hand, and offer easy beverages like hot coffee or tea or a cold glass of lemonade on a hot day.
Cultivating a Spirit of Generosity: Giving Beyond Your Home
Hospitality and generosity go hand in hand, and it’s good to promote a lifestyle of generosity with your family. Here are some ways to do this.
-Be generous with your time. Volunteer and get to know people. Talk to the stranger in the grocery line or while waiting for an appointment.
Be generous with your words. We live in a world full of doom and gloom, and we all know the tongue is our most powerful muscle. Use it to speak life over someone who is struggling or having a bad day.
Share your gifts, talents, and skills. The talents God has given you are not just for you; they are to be shared with others. Do research and share them both in person and online.
-Be generous with your possessions. Be gracious and give away what you don’t need. There may be a kid in a low-income neighborhood that would love to have your old sports equipment. Older adults at the nursing home would love to dive into the books you don’t want anymore. Do pets have too many toys? Donate a few of them to a local shelter or cat cafe.
Teaching Children the Value of Hospitality
There are many ways you can teach your children about hospitality.
-You can start by asking how they feel at a friend’s house. Do they feel welcome? Is their home inviting?
-Teach them how to welcome visitors.
-Teach them how to make guests feel important
Have them help you prep the next time someone comes to visit to help drive home the point.
-Teach them to share their things with a cheerful heart. Let them know it’s not all about them, and that sharing is caring when playing with others and sharing their possessions.
-Teach them to welcome people authentically and not to expect anything in return.
Prayer and Reflection: Making Your Home a Sacred Space
Prayer is important in Christian households, and here is a way to create a sacred space for your family and your guests.
-Create a space dedicated to prayer. This can be a corner of a room, an entire room, or a closet.
-Select art that depicts prayer and the importance of prayer.
-Keep Bibles and books about prayer around to encourage the practice of prayer and reflection.
In many ways, we can make our home warm, cozy, and inviting for our friends, families, and strangers. Take stock of your home and see how you can enhance a feeling of hospitality today.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/FreshSplash
Carrie Lowrance is a freelance writer and author. She has had her work featured on Crosswalk, iBelieve, Huffington Post, and the Penny Hoarder. She is also the author of three children’s books, three clean romance books, one romance novella, three books of poetry, and one non-fiction book. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and baking, reading, and hanging out with her husband, and sweet cat, Cupcake. You can find out more about Carrie and her writing at www.carrielowrance.com.
