The Law in 90 Days: Deuteronomy 33
RADICAL Love
1 Peter 4:9; Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Peter talks about the difference between those who live in worldliness and those who live for Christ.
One mark of a Christian is hospitality. According to the Noah Webster definition of 1828, hospitality
is “the act or practice of receiving and entertaining strangers or guests without reward, or with kind
and generous liberality.” This traditional definition differs from today’s definition of “a friendly and
generous reception and entertainment of guests.” The modern definition lacks the utter selflessness:
generosity without reward, even to strangers! In today’s society, many people are too paranoid to
look at a stranger, let alone welcome them into their home!
The hospitality of the first Century Christians enhanced the ministry of the apostles. Because there
were men and women willing to selflessly open their homes, the apostles were encouraged, and
thus the church as a whole was encouraged. Paul repeatedly boasts of how often he thanks the
Lord for the help and hospitality of the brothers and sisters.
This is why Jesus said that when you give food or drink to those in need you give food and drink
to Him. When the church extends her arms Jesus’ arms are extended too. When people see the
radical hospitality of Christians, they will see Christ and hopefully put their faith in Him.
We are guilty of making others out to be bother. We’re quick to come up with reasons to excuse us
from helping out: our house is too cramped to have someone stay, our shoulder too sore to help
someone move, our kids’ friend’s house too far to give them a ride home, our cooking too ordinary
to serve to important guests. In our mind they may seem valid, but to the Lord these things are often
acts of disobedience and disservice.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask God how you can grow in hospitality. Ask Him for something specific that you can do this
week. Pray that He would give you immense joy as you follow through on this commitment.
2. Take some time to pray through your house this week. Perhaps you want to include your family
in this. Go from room to room and pray over your house, that everyone who walks through the
doors would feel the Spirit, and would feel at peace.
