The many facets of Hospitality

This morning I was reading a book my Marva Dawn titled Unfettered Hope. I came across a passage where she began talking about hospitality and then I realized that this weekend was filled with episodes of genuine hospitality.

Friday night I was invited by a friend to have enchiladas - which is quite the treat considering mexican food is lacking here. She made the food at a couple's apartment that she knew. The night was filled with good food, good music, the budding of genuine friendship and community. We discussed theology, we played a card game and we just enjoyed a night away from seminary. That night I experienced genuine hospitality as a guest in a stranger's home.

Saturday morning my roommate and I went to pick up our couch. Very exciting indeed! It is a lovely couch - big and comfortable and even matches our beige carpet. This couch is such a blessing because now we will be able to invite people over to our room. Before, we were hesitant because we had no place for them to sit. We had to constantly invite ourselves over elsewhere and be the guest. This couch has given us the means to return the favor and be the hosts. Now we can practice the hospitality we have received by so many of our friends here at GCTS.

Yesterday morning I went to church at Immanuel (where I currently serve as the secretary.) I have never felt so welcomed in a church. The moment I stepped in the door people smiled and greeted me by name (or close to my name). I was introduced to a half-dozen people before the church service and to the rest of the church during the passing of the peace. I sincerely believe everyone came to introduce themselves to me. I genuinely believe they do this for everyone - not just the girl who happens to be the secretary. One cannot help but be amazed by their overwhelming hospitality! I look forward to "plugging myself in" at their church more fully in the future.

While these were all wonderful stories of my experience of hospitality this weekend, my very own grandmother put me to shame. After talking to my mom last night, I believe my grandmother to have hospitality ingrained into her very being. This is her story. Sunday morning she woke up and went out to get the paper. On her way out of the garage she found a pair of shoes that were wet and covered in mud. She brought them in and asked grandpa what he thought about the shoes - he didn't know. So she decides to take the shoes back out to the garage and check the vehicles to see if the owner of the shoes is perhaps still in the garage. According to my mother, grandma went back to the garage, stick in hand. Sure enough, a woman was sleeping in her car! Grandma asked her in a loud voice what she was doing here - to which the woman did not respond. Grandma poked the woman with her stick (I admit I laughed a little when I heard that) and the woman woke up. She insisted to my grandma that this was her house.

Grandma noticed that she was cold and invited her in to warm up. The woman, once in the house, still insisted this was where she lived. Grandma protested the entire time (since it was obvious this was not the woman's home.) Grandma then offered to give her a ride to whereever she wanted to go. They drove around Arlington until they found the correct house. Grandma waited until the woman was safely inside before returning home.

Last night I was so shocked at the story and more concerned for my grandparents' well-being that I completely missed the grace and hospitality in the story. Grandma showed mercy on the girl - invited her into their home. It could have been a dangerous situation, but grandma showed grace. Not only that, she again went above and beyond by personally seeing to it that the girl found her own home. I think of the story of the good Samaritan. This girl was in need of help and although we would have thought grandma well within her rights to just kick her out, grandma showed her compassion. She did not think twice about it - that was just her nature. Grandma is never one to draw attention to herself or to do things so others may see. I can only hope to grow into that type of person.