Proverbs 31 OBS Week 3: A life and home of hospitality

Reading this week, a lightbulb went off in my head.  

I want my home to be a place of hospitality.  I always ask myself what I want.  I came up with this:

I want a home where people feel SO comfortable that they come in take off their shoes, put their feet up on the couch, fall asleep, and I come to put a blanket over them.  I want people to be SO comfortable in my home that they can come in and rest.  That's what I want.  

I don't want to live a life  where people can't touch anything or sit on anything.  For one thing that's idolizing our "stuff"  and second of all people who live like that live isolated lives.  So concerned about preserving their stuff that they have no room for people.

As we learned this week, it's not our stuff anyway.  Everything we own belongs to the Lord anyway.

Christians don't have the best reputation right now and some of it is well deserved.  Being mean spirited and being ungracious to others isn't helpful to the cause.  People see the life lived before them.  

Having a life and home of hospitality will do more than 100 Bible Studies and Sermons to teach people about Jesus.

Not Enough

Like one of the Bible study leaders remarked, I know I would feel that my home isn't good enough, my presentation isn't good enough, nothing is enough but I love what Karen has to say about this.  Just the willing heart, positive, and upbeat attitude with the intention to serve is enough.

Entertaining puts the emphasis on you and your home and seeks to impress others. In contrast, hospitality puts the emphasis on your guest and seeks to help them feel refreshed, not impressed, when they leave your home."

 It's not about entertaining out of Better Homes and Gardens or trying to be perfect.  It's about opening up your heart and home to others.

This is something I am getting my mindset open to NOW.  Inviting people over and Inviting people in.  I used to do this A LOT in college.  Now I don't anymore because my living situation is more complicated but I am excited for the day when I can host giving circles, invite people over to share healthy (and sometimes not so healthy) food, and just invite people in to be uplifted and loved on.

So that went on the list for what I want and the compelling vision for my life.

It's what I want and what I want is possible!  The vision is becoming clearer.