Family Activity

Family Hospitality

Jesus challenged his followers with the price of discipleship. And he promised rewards for welcoming missionaries. Sometimes we concentrate on the first point (putting Jesus first in our lives) and ignore the second (practicing the virtue of hospitality). So, let's look at being a good host.

Without a social safety net and established law enforcement on the roads, travel was a risky proposition in the time of Jesus. Bandits regularly stole from travelers. To protect themselves, travelers rode in caravans and depended upon the good graces of the people those towns they visited. So, people in small hamlets or villages played host and treated the traveler like family. As they treated the stranger, hosts expected to be treated when they traveled. Hospitality was not only a virtue, it was good manners in the time of Jesus.

How can our family members be good hosts? Ask this question at your next family discussion time. Better yet, create a dinner where family members take turns serving and caring for each other. Use the discussion and the dinner to answer the question: how do I treat the stranger?