Unfading
     Beauty

Several years ago I read “The Boxcar Wall,” a devotional that put the principle of James 2:14-16 in perspective for me:

            I ate breakfast the other day with a man who 60 years ago sold newspapers and shined shoes on the streets of downtown Boise, Idaho.  He told me about his life in those days and how much things have changed.

            ‘What’s changed the most?’ I asked him.  ‘People,’ he said.  ‘They don’t care anymore.’

            As a case in point, he told me about his mother, who often fed hungry men who came to her house.  Every day she prepared food for her family and then made several more meals because she knew homeless travelers would start to show up around mealtime.  She had deep compassion for those who were in need.  Once she asked a man how he happened to find his way to her door.  ‘Your address is written on all the boxcar walls,’ he said.¹

As you concentrate on applying James 2:14-16 to your life, you will want to consider the guests to whom you could minister— singles, widows, the grieving, individuals experiencing food insecurity (low-incomes, poverty level, and the homeless), as well as the elderly; to apply this passage effectively you must first understand the characteristics of biblical compassion. 

Biblical Compassion—What Is It?

Hospitality is not about you and me—as a matter of fact, when our ego gets involved we are definitely missing the primary reason for hospitality.  John Ruskin writes, “When a man is all wrapped up in himself he makes a pretty small package.” ² I have an idea that the same description applies to women.    Let’s craft an equation that helps us understand the relationship between hospitality and compassion using the definition of each word:

THE FRIENDLY RECEPTION AND TREATMENT OF GUESTS OR STRANGERS³

+

A FEELING OF DEEP SYMPATHY AND SORROW FOR SOMEONE STRUCK BY MISFORTUNE,

ACCOMPANIED BY A DESIRE TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING⁴

=

COMPASSIONATE HOSPITALITY

This “Compassionate Hospitality Equation” moves us from an “I” to an “others” focus.  As believers, we know that one of the attributes of our heavenly Father’s character is compassion—as His children, our compassion should include a sense of empathy for the distress of others (Rom 9:15), coupled with the desire to minimize the distress (Matt 9:36, 14:14, 15:32, 18:27, 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34, 8:2, 9:22; Luke 7:13, 10:33 15:20), as well as a heart that demonstrates kindness and mercy to others (Matt 18:33; Mark 5:19; Jude 22). Graciousness, longsuffering, an abundance of goodness and truth, delayed anger, and great mercy (Exod 34:6-7; Ps 86:15, 145:8), are additional qualities of our heavenly Father’s character that should typify our behavior.  Through His strength, if you make His compassion yours, your “Compassionate Hospitality Equation” will move away from being ego centered, be directed toward the needs of others rather than your own, and most importantly, reflect His character.

¹ David H. Roper, “The Boxcar Wall,” Our Daily Bread (Grand Rapids: Radio Bible Class, 2002), July 30.

² Found at www.geocities.com/Heartland/2328/wisdom.htm.

⁴ Webster’s College Dictionary, 2nd ed. (Random House, 1997), s.v. “compassion.”

Next week’s posting is focused on Individuals in the Bible who Chose to Extend Hospitality.

From Practicing Hospitality, the Joy of Serving Others by Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock, © (2007).  Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.

As with the concept of our homes becoming places of refuge for others, they become centers for evangelism when they are dedicated to our Lord.  However, converting them to places of refuge and centers for evangelism requires time and effort; to coordinate or “dovetail” the two, consider using the Spiritual Entertainment Timetable as you prepare for your guests.

Next week’s posting is focused on Biblical Hospitality and Your Guests.

From Practicing Hospitality, the Joy of Serving Others by Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock, © (2007).  Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.

What is a home?  To the architect, it is an amalgamation of design features.  To the contractor, it is the assembly of an assortment of building materials, while to the interior designer, it is a backdrop for the aesthetic application of color, texture, fabrics, and accessories.  A home from a biblical perspective, however, is to be both a place of refuge and a center for evangelism. 

The Home as a Place of Refuge

Refuge, by definition, means a “shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc.; anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief or escape.”¹   Scripture is filled with illustrations of refuges provided by God; these describe qualities that are to be characteristic of the Christian home—first to those who reside there and then to those who are welcomed as a gesture of biblical hospitality.  According to Scripture, the Christian home is to be a place of

• refuge for those who have done wrong (Num 35:6, 11-15). 
• safety (Num 35:25-28). 
• protection that mirrors the illustration of God providing shelter as a mother bird shelters the young and fragile with her wings (Exod 19:4, Deut 32:11, and Pss 17:8, 36:7, 57:1, 61:4, 63:7, 91:1-4). 
• security—a stronghold that is safe from the hostility of the world (2 Sam 22:3).²
• refreshment for those who communicate the gospel (Acts 9:35-10:23; Luke 10:38-42; 3 John 5-8; Heb 13:2; Rom 12:13; 1 Pet 4:9; Acts 16:15; Philem 22; Rom 16:23).

Our homes become places of refuge for others as we choose to use our hospitality skills to minister to them.

The Home as a Center for Evangelism

The church of the twenty-first century has cultivated highly sophisticated procedures and tools for evangelism—training sessions, videos, seminars, manuals, and methodology books are available.  However, as you study Scripture you find that the home, not the church, served as the center for evangelism in the early expansion of Christianity.  Michael Green writes, “One of the most important methods of spreading the gospel in antiquity was the use of homes.”³   He then affirms the home of Aquila and Priscilla by stating, “Homes like this must have been exceedingly effective in the evangelistic outreach of the church.”⁴ 
 
An excursion through New Testament Scriptures gives us insight into the importance of evangelism for the believer…
• Our Lord’s final instruction to His disciples was to make disciples, not merely converts, of all nations (Matt 28:19).
• Paul writes that our Lord gave spiritual gifts, including the gift of evangelist, to those He called into service (Eph 4:11).  Repeating the term in 2 Tim 4:5, Paul directs believers “to do the work of an evangelist.”  John MacArthur provides insight on this passage by defining evangelist for us:

Used only two other times in the New Testament (Acts 21:8; Eph 4:1), this word always refers to a specific office of ministry for the purpose of preaching the gospel to non-Christians.  Based on Eph. 4:11, it is very basic to assume that all churches would have both pastor-teachers and evangelists.  But the related verb “to preach the gospel” and the related noun “gospel” are used throughout the New Testament not only in relation to evangelists, but also to the call for every Christian, especially preachers and teachers, to proclaim the gospel.  Paul did not call Timothy to the office of an evangelist, but to “do the work” of one.⁵

[1] Webster’s College Dictionary, 2nd ed. (Random House, 1997), ed., s.v. “refuge.”  

[2] See Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock, Becoming a Woman Who Pleases God, A Guide to Developing Your Biblical Potential, chapter 3, “The Wise Woman Develops a Heart of Contentment,” (Chicago:  Moody, 2003) for further elaboration on this topic.

[3] Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970), p.236.

[4] Ibid. 207.

[5] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible (Nashville: Word, 2000), notes at 2 Tim 4:5.

Next week’s posting is focused on the Spiritual Entertainment Timetable.

From Practicing Hospitality, the Joy of Serving Others by Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock, © (2007).  Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.

The Heart of the Christian Hostess[i]

Only as I allow my heavenly Father to refine my character will I possess the heart of a Christian hostess that allows genuine love to be expressed in my home. As you read the words below, would you say that you are a Christian woman who has the heart of a hostess?

If I am a Christian woman who teaches other women about their scriptural responsibility to practice hospitality but lack the motivation to apply the teachings to my life, I am arrogant (1 Cor 8:1).

And though I know about the women of the Bible who practiced hospitality but fail to emulate their model, I am nothing (1 Cor 10:11).

If I pursue Christian ministry and stay up all night preparing a theologically correct Bible study but fail to open my home to others, I am neglecting the New Testament commands to pursue hospitality (Rom 12:13a).

A Christian hostess is gracious (Prov 11:16) even when others are not.

She believes that the biblical instructions to pursue hospitality are as relevant today as the day they were written and seeks to integrate into her daily life the teaching of home being “a prepared place” for her family, friends, and strangers (John 14:2b).

A Christian hostess gleans insight from God’s Word that motivates her to develop an open heart to entertaining a variety of kinds of guests (Rom 2:11), a tongue that speaks wisdom and kindness to them (Prov 31:26), and a submissive spirit that provides hospitality without grumbling (1 Pet 4:9).

She takes seriously the mandate of Titus 2:3-5 and intentionally acquires instruction in time management, family finance, nutrition, food preparation, and the art of hospitality so that God’s Word is not discredited.

As for professional contacts, they will diminish in importance; as for speaking opportunities, they will be presented and the content forgotten; as for strategic social events, they will occur and the memories will fade; but the woman who develops the heart of a hostess will be blessed because she chose to fulfill the New Testament commands to practice hospitality (3 John 1:8, 1 Tim. 3:1, 2 and Titus 1:7, 8).

So, both the Christian woman and the Christian woman who has the heart of a hostess abide in the Christian community; however, the Christian woman who has the heart of a hostess cultivates a lifestyle that reflects her values and a character that aligns with the Word of God.