When I returned from a Student Missionary Union Summer Mission trip in 2011, I realized one of the most important lessons I had learned during the trip was that of hospitality. When my team was in the Mongolian countryside, every family we encountered invited us into their home for tea. In fact, one of my teammates and I were even invited to join a family barbeque on the side of our trail. The people were glad to welcome strangers into their homes and into their lives.

Hospitality is not valued as highly in America as it is in countries like Mongolia, where it is embedded in the way of life. In America, life is fast-paced and home is guarded as a personal space where we can retreat from the chaos. Many houses are even designed to close us off from the outside world. The front door of the house I grew up in was hidden behind the garage. In the house I live in now we have a gate that stands between our driveway and our front door. Hospitality may not be as natural in America as in other cultures, but its importance is becoming increasingly evident to me.

In the scriptures it is evident that the people of God are characterized by hospitality. In Leviticus 19:34 God commanded the Israelites to welcome strangers and love them as they loved themselves. In the New Testament, God commands believers to practice hospitality in Hebrews 13:1-2 and Romans 12:13, and he makes it a requirement for elders in 1 Timothy 3:2.

God is Hospitable

In an article called “Practicing Biblical Hospitality,” Trisha Wilkerson points out that God is hospitable. God brings us near to him through Jesus, gives us access to him through Jesus, adopts us as his kids and allows us to share in Jesus’ inheritance. Therefore when we practice hospitality, we reflect the welcoming nature of God.

Hospitality expresses the Lordship of Christ

When we open our homes and our dorm rooms to other people, we express the truth that everything in our possession ultimately belongs to God. The practice of hospitality demonstrates that even our personal space is available for God to use to bless others.

Hospitality builds community

Some of the richest time I have spent with my friends has been around my kitchen table. Whether sipping tea or savoring a meal prepared together, there is something about inviting someone into your home that facilitates deep conversations and builds friendships.

Hospitality facilitates mission

We often think about evangelism as a conversation with a stranger on an airplane or inviting someone to an outreach event. These are both valid ways of sharing Jesus with people, but we can’t overlook hospitality. Hospitality allows others to see your world and see for themselves if you are “real.” It also has the potential to communicate that you care about them as a human being and a friend, instead of a project.

God intends for his people to be hospitable. Because hospitality is not the norm in our country, it will require intentionality on our part. It also provides an opportunity to show the culture something different. Hospitality allows others to have a taste of the kingdom.