The Healing Art of Hospitality

That's the Book:  3rd John

When I was about 12 my family took a vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. My parents had been there previously and had befriended a family who lived nearby.  So we were thrilled this trip to have personal tour guides and help with translating Spanish.  Kind friends always make things more fun. We got to go horse back riding out in the jungle, take a ride across the bay and then climb up to a gorgeous waterfall and generally see some sights not on the normal tourist itinerary. Our friends owned an apartment in Guadalajara so their children could attend college and they invited us to stay there with them over the weekend. One epic night we rode through the old town in a horse drawn carriage and they hired a mariachi band to serenade us all during dinner.  Such good hosts!

This kind of cheer reminds me of the joy with which John writes to his friends in the book of 3rd John. This one chapter book is the third in a series of books to encourage and challenge his friends.  John's main points this book where to cheer joyfully on their faith and to encourage them to practice hospitality for follow believers. 

It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.  3 John: 2-3

Our trip to Mexica was fantastic.  And then near the end of our time there, my family all got sick. Barfing, way too much time in the bathroom, thought we were gonna die Montezuma's revenge kind of sick. And this is when our hostess really kicked in. 

I'll never forget the care of this sweet mama. She welcomed us into her home, made us the most lovely tea, went to the local pharmacy for electorolite drinks so we would not become dehydrated and generally comforted this lot of pitiful travelers.  We felt better.  Not so much in our bodies - that took a few days - but we immediately felt better in our souls. 

This is what good hospitality does. It makes you feel welcome, included, comforted and known. This mama made me feel better 30 years ago and I still am grateful. 

John was a traveling pastor - as were many of those believers in the early church.  And the local people who gave them room and board made all the difference.  So John spends the rest of this chapter reminding them to show hospitality - and to call out those who don't. 

We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. 3 John 1:8-10

Over my life I've had other times when friends and believers made me feel welcome. When a meal made all the difference between hope and despair. When I wasn't sure how to continue and someone had a cup of coffee, made me laugh and encouraged me forward.  

Some people are intimidated by hospitality. They get caught up in a cycle of comparison, self doubt and shame.  My guess is this is partly fueled by too many instagram posts of perfect dinners and the predictable Pinterest fail.  

Listen.  Hospitality doesn't have to be fancy.  My friend in Mexico gave us hugs, looked us in the eye, made us a cup of tea.  She didn't need fancy to show love. And neither do we. This is work we can all do.  And its joy giving.  

Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. 3 John 1:11