Practicing Christian Hospitality

With Thanksgiving coming up in a little bit over a week, the thought of gathering is at the front of our minds. You may have plans to be with your immediate family, extended family, or close friends. Maybe you get to enjoy someone else’s hospitality. You may be hosting your 1st or 50th Thanksgiving. For some, hostessing comes very naturally (it is perhaps one of your spiritual gifts) but for others, the thought of hosting can leaves us in the fetal position with a bad case of hives. Now, what a blessing to have this gift, please write a book!!! And if you have the hives, it's likely not caused by an allergy to hosting so you should get that checked out. But, what I'm getting at is, there are some extremes regarding how we might think about showing hospitality- especially when we mistake it for social entertaining. We can easily get sucked into thinking that hosting a gathering is all about appearances. We can also become paralyzed by feeling unworthy or unable to provide what might be expected.

Let’s begin by finding out what the Bible tell us about hospitality…

-The Bible commands us to show hospitality to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Romans 12:13- Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

-We should also show hospitality to strangers as well.

Romans 13: 1-2- Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 

-We are to show hospitality without grumbling. 

1 Peter 4:8-10- Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

-We should consider our priorities.

Luke 10:38-42- As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

Christian hospitality is not solely social entertaining…it’s not about having the perfect dishes or decorating with the latest styles. It’s not about your ability to cook. It’s not about being able to hide every mess or do all the dishes before your guests arrive. These actions often enhance a gathering, help guests to feel comfortable, can express that we have prepared for our guests and value them in our homes. BUT, our hosting should not hinge on being able to fabricate perfect outward appearances and it certainly should not be our primary focus. 

Christian hospitality is quite simply “serving”. When we host with love, we are focusing on those that are gathering in. We are turning our focus to them. It’s no longer just about decorating our home, the extravagant meal we’ve prepared, or what we have to say. It’s about providing a comfortable place for others to be, accepting them, and meeting their needs. With those intentions, it is likely that God will use you to touch other’s lives. The laughter at your dinner table might be the first genuine expression of joy someone has seen in quite some time. Serving or taking a plate might be the first time in a while that someone has been shown kindness. Inviting others into your home might be the first step in the softening of a hardened heart. Do not underestimate the power of what God can do through you when you open your doors to others.  

While you are gathering this season, let it be your the intent to serve out of thankfulness to God for all He’s done for you! Allow his graciousness to drive you to host willingly, with a genuine heart, and without fear of approval!

Women's Christmas Outreach Dinner Quickly Approaching

The Women's Christmas Outreach Dinner is quickly approaching. You do not want to miss this beautiful night at Westwood. The Family Center is transformed from a gym into a banquet hall. The many talented and gracious hostesses of Westwood decorate the tables- each with their own unique and stunning styles. Most importantly, the evening provides the opportunity to turn our focus to Jesus at the beginning of the Christmas season. This year's theme is "Tidings of Comfort and Joy." 

Mark your calendars for Friday, December 4^th at 5:30pm. Be thinking about friends or co-workers you could invite and share the evening with.

Hostess sign-up will be on Sunday, November 15, at the table in the lobby. 
Tickets will be for sale Sunday, November 22 & 29, at the table in the lobby. They are $20 each. 

Childcare will not be provided that evening. 

If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to contact Michelle Williams, mwilliams@westwoodbaptist.com or 360.866.6888.

We are looking forward to kicking off our Christmas celebrations with you! 

Gather

Hello Sister,

If you are reading this, you’ve survived Daylight Savings Time. Whoever came up with this idea, (Ben Franklin, I’ll go ahead and call you out!!!) did not consider the way a toddler would react to an hour shift in on the clock…I won’t go on and on about this but the days are starting super early at my house. And, it was so shocking to lose that extra hour of sunlight in the evening. It seems like the middle of the night when we are finishing up dinner! I’ve been so affected by the tangible darkness that I couldn’t help but think about abstract darkness of our world today. 

The darkness can separate us. Have you ever been in complete and utter darkness? I’m talking about the tangible darkness right now. We used to play hide-and-seek as kids in my home growing up, and there was a room in the basement that had no windows. I remember being in that room with absolutely no light. It was a bizarre feeling. I remember holding my hand up in front of my face and I had no confirmation that it was still there. This utter darkness divides, disunites, and alienates us. We might enter the darkness inadvertently, we could be forced into a time of darkness, or the darkness may be rising up within us. Whatever the case, when we are in this darkness, there is sometimes no way out. There is wandering, grasping, and coming up empty. Finding the escape can be a struggle and, in fact, impossible without light.

In contrast to the darkness that drives us apart, the light can gather us together. Just the tiniest bit of light gives away darkness’s secret…that we are not alone. The obstacles are exposed and we can find others, perhaps a solution, and most importantly, Jesus, the source of the light itself. Acts 2:46 tells us about the early believers- “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” These early Christians were surrounded by darkness. Jesus, the light of the world had come, but his acceptance was not instantaneous. And as the differences between the old way of worshipping and new began to grow, the believers who were part of the Jewish faith were eventually driven out by darkness. But, they had the light and they gathered to it. May we be so brave and bold as those early Christians to continue to gather around the light. 

This month will likely be full of gatherings for Thanksgiving with friends and family. Consider the light that drives us to gather together for teaching, prayer and fellowship .

Below is a Bible verse that you can post in your home to remind you of the great reasons we have to gather and be thankful. Right click to download the image.  

In Him, 

Grace