The Honor of Being Invited

 We were invited to a friend’s home for dinner. It was a lovely meal with paper plates, bottled soda, wonderfully cooked food, and a sweet dessert. The conversation was enjoyable and the back-porch views were breathtaking. We’ve spent many hours in the homes of friends, but this one was something special. 

You see, my friend has wanted to host people in her home for a long time, but due to some factors, had been unable to do so for many years. When she was finally able to bring someone over, she chose us. We were her honored guests, her top pick. My husband and I were quietly humbled. 

 

During the meal and after, I kept thinking about the extreme privilege it was to share her porch that evening and it reminds me of how little we value the vulnerability offered when true hospitality is shown. But it also reminded me that we don’t often experience true hospitality. We experience the assumed cultural demands or the vis-à-vis repayment for previous moments. 

 

True hospitality is simply sharing what you have with someone else. It isn’t putting on airs. It isn’t showing off or giving the appearance of something you aren’t. It’s making someone comfortable in your space. Hospitality is sacred work. 

A person's words can be life giving water; words of true wisdom are a refreshing as a bubbling brook. ~ Proverbs 18:4

*photo via unsplash taken by Mike Keenneally