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"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
(Romans 12:13)
Romans 12:13 is a verse found in one of those passages of Scripture where many short commands are listed one after the other. Check out Romans 12:9-21 to see what I mean. Because of this, it can be easy to skip over smaller details of each command since we tend to read through such passages quickly.
Recently, however, one word in Romans 12:13 stopped me in my tracks: seek. The last few days we looked at the call to be hospitable from 1 Peter 4. In today's verse, however, we are not only instructed to be hospitable but to actively seek opportunities to be hospitable.
Passive hospitality is willing to serve others if they come looking for it. Proactive hospitality seeks out ways you can serve others.
When I had my son last May, I got countless texts that said, "Let us know if you need anything." The sentiment is nice, and I am grateful for their willingness, but the reality is, most people won't ever take people up on such vague offers. However, the people who just sent meals and items or encouragement we needed were a huge blessing to us. Of course, we must respect other people's boundaries, but we ought to actively go seek people whom we can serve and not just sit around waiting for them to come to us.
I think many of us would be willing to welcome someone into our small group if they showed up. But what about actively seeking people who need community and bringing them in?
If someone invited you over for dinner, you might return an invitation. But what about having eyes to actively look for people whom you can invite into your home to eat with you and your family? More than that, would you ask God to make you brave to invite over those who are far from God? It is great to invite your Christian brothers or sisters over, and we should do that often. But what about your Muslim neighbor or your LGBTQ colleague? Seek those opportunities to bring them in, and allow the way you live your life as a Christian to open doors to spiritual conversations. Build bridges, and when the relationship can bear the weight of truth, cross the bridge!
At the same time, Paul encourages us to specifically contribute to the needs of the saints in this verse. How can you seek to show hospitality as a way to contribute to the needs of the saints? Is your church in need of a host home for a new small group? Host it! Is there someone you know who is following Jesus but could really use some encouragement and community? Invite them over! Is there someone you know who is sick or maybe a single mom or dad who is overwhelmed? Cook for them! The thing is, hospitality has never been about showing off your abundance. It is about stewarding what you have. Maybe you have only a small apartment, and it is tempting to think that excuses you from the calling to show hospitality. You don't have to have a picture perfect dining room or a comfortable spare room. When we focus on what we don't have, we will find a million excuses as to why we don't have to be hospitable. If we, however, seek to steward the things God has given us, whether great or small, you will be amazed how God can multiply what you bring into something with eternal impact.
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