Southern Hospitality Wins Souls

My grandmother made a memorable pecan pie. Its secret, she shared, hid in blending finely diced pecans with other ingredients, instead of whole nuts. I’ve written her recipe on my heart, and my pantry remains stocked with other essentials ready to stir up renowned southern hospitality, formed as her tasty dessert. Once, I asked a friend, who dropped by for a spontaneous visit, “Do you want a sandwich, chips, or pecan pie?”

Many churches also offer hospitality in various ways. Desiring to let guests know they are seen; my church boasts a dedicated hospitality room with glass windows. An oxygenated fishbowl for humans to receive gifts and handshakes.

Greeters also offer kindness through outstretched hands at entry points as newcomers find paths through tight mazes. Guests receive warm welcomes from backlit stages and hear words of welcome.

I appreciate formal methods created for people to walk through doors and into God’s family. Established processes and places are important, but true hospitality lives in our hearts.

Hearts conceal secrets and remember shrouded weights of pain, regret, and remorse. Hearts recall rescue from sin by Jesus, as well as escape from isolation by friends. These memories compel action to demonstrate kindness, provide refuge, and guide all to safety. Memories also connect to God’s Word and His instructions about hospitality.

Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.

-Hebrews 13:2 CSB

We see through different lenses when views originate from shared heartbeats. It’s here we see ones who stumble on concrete floors and collapse into soft seats. They don’t have energy to dig for cell phones, wrangle with WIFI networks, or wrestle with QR codes.

We must first initiate action and seek spaces to dish out purposeful hospitality. Our feet take us through hallways where we find wanderers. Undimmed eyes notice all who don’t belong and search for belonging. We recognize the ones who hug walls instead of people.

Our prepared methods and places attract people ready to join, offering to serve, and willing to take next steps. But there are others in our midst. Ones who rush past entryways and wait for approach. They stand silent, asking God for signals, demonstrating the search ends on this day.

These are the ones who don’t go where arrows point to welcome stations. Their eyes scan crowded places for uncrowded space, information, and navigation. They await rescue and wonder if God works within others to save them.

We don’t know if we witness hurt, angry, or happy people. We don’t know if we’re seeing the ones, who are looking for excuses to leave, instead of reasons to stay. We can’t see their tears which leak from souls instead of eyes. We can’t see internal damage, scars, or victories.

Yet Jesus sees everyone and understands their lives, motives, and desires. He led them to us, and we see others made in God’s image.

My pie baking grandmother worked in retail and often shared you couldn’t tell who might make a purchase based on appearance. She said we should treat everyone the same. In fact, we are all the same. While we can’t know who needs love based on numbers of people entering glass fishbowls, we remember times we’ve stood on the outside looking in, faces pressed against cold glass, noses smushed, and longing filling hollowed places. We remember how we felt, not what we wore.

In business worlds, hospitality demonstrates first efforts to transact sales. The end goal desires customers buy valued products, which may or may not be needed. Church hospitality also wants end results from attending guests. But these processes denote perpetual invitations into family and out of sin.

Church transactions are made with love, not cash. Relationship to each other and God is considered of greatest value. Everyone who enters holy doors needs God. Businesses want to get sales; churches want to give life.

Within the church, we share common mission to seek and save, as well as accept and love. We need to always keep ready ingredients to make people feel welcome and wanted. If there’s a secret to faith-based hospitality, it lies in clear eyes and ready feet, overflowing from hearts and souls.

While hospitality is a gifting for some, it is a responsibility of all.

God expects us to be hospitable to others. Some display it more overtly than others, but we all need to put feet on hard floors and soften hearts. We act because it’s part of church unity and because we recall we are all fellow heirs of God’s Kingdom. When we share our love with everyone who enters God’s doors, we show our love to Christ himself.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.

-Matthew 25:35-36 CSB

We want our hospitality to create memorable experiences. Not only in prescribed displays of outward welcome but in genuine reflections of love. God will show all who ask the ones in need of His love. Everything to be accomplished for His purposes, His glory, and His Kingdom.

Genuine acts of hospitality aren’t found in pie exchanges but in love demonstrations, wafting down church hallways as unmistakable as aromas from freshly baked pecan pies. There’s no secrets in God’s recipe. Once we’ve experienced His ineffable love and amazing grace, pursing hospitality (Romans 12:13) is more than what we do. It’s how we live and worship God.