Hospitality

Lately I've been struggling in the area of hospitality and today as I sat at the feet of Jesus I learned a bit about that very thing. Really my struggle has to do with sharing food. :) Yes, I give you permission to laugh. I have a hard time sharing my food. If you watch the show Friends, you may remember a particular episode where Joey is ready to fight to the death with the girl he's on a first date with, all because she took one of his french fries. I don't feel quite this passionate, but why is it that that when I sit down to eat my lunch after everyone has eaten, do the babies come running to have a bite of mine? Or when they've got cheese and crackers in front of them do they want my veggies? Another example, although this is more out of just forgetfulness, is that I don't offer everyone who walks in my door something to drink AND eat. Certainly if a meal is planned that's a different story. Long story short, my mind hasn't been on meeting the physical needs of people who visit my home and at times I find myself resenting my responsibility to meet that need.

Well, Jesus is the One I look to as an example of an extreme host. I read in Matt 14 this morning. Here's the setting: John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus, was just beheaded. Jesus hears of this (although already knew it would happen, right?), and finds some solitude on the lake. People from the nearby town follow him out to the lake, so really, how much solitude can one have with people around? "He went to shore (v.14)." Are you kidding me? If I were in His shoes, I would have rowed farther out on the lake!!!!! Not only did he go toward the people, but He had compassion on them. He healed the sick. This reminded me of the passage in John 4, where Jesus tells His disciples, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work." I wonder if Jesus sought comfort in helping those who were sick physically, and most likely dying spiritually.

So, Jesus sought solitude and instead went with compassion to a crowd. The disciples came to Jesus and TOLD Him to send the people away to the nearby town to buy food for themselves. What gall . . . and I would have been right there with them. I can feed 4 people pretty easily. A larger crowd is tough, but it would be a challenge I would love. Try 5,000 people!! NO WAY says Becky! Well, Jesus, being Creator God, was able to think outside the box. :) Jesus told the disciples, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" Lucky for them, He had the answer. He took the five loaves and two fishies that they gave Him, blessed it, and began to break them and gave the food to the disciples to pass to the people. Not only did Jesus find comfort in meeting with people and healing their diseases, but He met their physical need of hunger. This was such a testimony to me and a lesson I took to heart. As I thought about His generosity and desire to meet that need, I realized that one of my hang ups on being so generous is that we're trying to be careful and wise with out money. This led me to ask myself the question, "Who meets your needs? Who is the giver of all good things? Who is it that gives you that money?" There was only one answer, and with that answer came a peace in knowing that as I responded to God's call to be a hostess who meets the needs of her guests, God would meet the need even before it was handed to me. No need to worry about money. I am just one point along the way. God supplies us with something someone else needs. We're just a funnel really. This goes for more than just physical things! God supplies me with love, faith, encouragement, that my husband, children, and people around me need. Now I just need to be sensitive to what the Lord would have me do, and doing His work will be my food!!!