Hospitality, Entertainment & the difference between them

The humble work of hospitality Is a glorious invitation to the abundant life in Jesus. Not in wealth or possessions, but in relationships, love, and union with each other.

I began exploring hospitality, what it means, how we live it out, etc, after discovering a love for interior design. I noticed a habit among designers to refer to entertainment and hospitality as though they are one in the same. This bothered me, because something in me said this wasn’t true. I started to notice other people, friends, family members, strangers, who would also refer to hospitality and entertainment, too so I started to do my own research. Partly to understand why this word choice bothered me so much and also to get a better idea of what hospitality really is.

I discovered that, while hospitality is often equated with entertainment, there’s a stark difference between them.

For one, hospitality is about serving. It centers welcome, care and a concern for another person’s welfare. Entertainment does not. Entertainment is to be enjoyed, entertainment in and of itself is not a bad thing - I too enjoy being entertained. But entertainment is also purposed to be consumed. It’s not about relationship, whereas hospitality, as I read about it in the Bible and experience it in my life, centers around relationship and the care of another person. When we enter into hospitality, true hospitality, we aren’t focused on ourselves, we are free to simply focus on welcoming and serving others, offering what we have, and delighting in the opportunity to be present and grow in relationship.

Hospitality is about something bigger than entertainment. You can have hospitality with entertainment, but you can’t solely have entertainment and call it hospitality.

The role of relationship is a significant differentiator, as is the motivation because entertainment isn’t motivated by Love. Hospitality, however, is. Its core motivation is Love.

The Greek word for hospitality as it is translated in the Bible is philoxenos* - love of stranger or love to stranger, which is where I came to understand that hospitality is about something far greater than entertainment. It is about love. And love is powerful.

Love also costs us something. This isn’t a bad thing, but it is often a hard thing. True love requires sacrifice. And I believe that showing hospitality is one discipline, along with prayer, confession, communion, etc, that helps one become a person of Love and follow the way of Jesus.

Hospitality that is motivated by Love requires that I, you, we are willing to be inconvenienced. Flexibility is key. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have structure or a routine (I personally have 3 young kids so I know first hand that some type of routine or rhythm is very necessary), it just means my structures are not my idols. It means I am forced to be reliant on the Holy Spirit, recognizing that some moments that seem to be interruptions are actually glorious opportunities.

Generosity, a pillar of hospitality, means offering what we have. Food. Clothing. Money. Opportunity. Comfort. And time. Precious time.

Yes, often the true cost of hospitality isn’t necessarily financial as much as it is personal.

We don’t need detailed agendas or well stocked pantries to be hospitable. The size of your home doesn’t matter and if you worry about it being dirty then once again, be comforted that those details aren’t the main point. Because your presence is what matters. Love is what matters. A humble heart and willingness to open yourself up to another person is enough. The rest will work out.

Hospitality motivated by Love is powerful, because it has the ability to cross boundaries that may have seemed impassable before. The intentional act of welcoming others, of showing love to strangers, this service to another person has the ability to produce a richness and depth of relationship with God, with yourself and with others.

The more I explored this idea of hospitality, the clearer this became. I propose that hospitality is one answer, one weapon in the battle of good vs. evil, in hatred vs. love. In a time when individualism combined with division and conflict, which only results in more isolation and lack of communion - both within the Church and outside of it - seems to run rampant, I believe hospitality can help us bridge those gaps.

Hospitality cultivates belonging, and the need to belong is one of the most basic human desires.

So may we be encouraged. There is power in a shared meal. There is power in welcoming people into your home.

There is power in acknowledging the person on the street that you may have otherwise ignored.

There is power in caring for the sick child, visiting the person in the nursing home and in the prison.

There is power in speaking against injustice. There is power in choosing not to retaliate.

There is power in all the ways one can show hospitality.

And you don't need a special qualification to do this.

You just need to be willing.

*The specific word philoxenos is found in: 1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8 and 1 Peter 4:9