INSPIRATION n EXPERTS LANE
Home Sweet Home
“If you live in Me and what I say lives in you,
then ask for anything you want, and it will be yours” (John 15:7, NOG)
By Sharlyne Thomas
B
elieve it or not, the term “hospitality” is found in the
Bible! Why? Because it is a demonstration of the love
that we should all share with one another. However,
hospitality does not just apply to or refer to being a
good host in our home; we should also endeavor to provide
world-class customer service to all of our external and
internal clients. But in order for us to have an outward show of
hospitality, we should try to perfect it on the inside first.
The scripture above talks about living in Christ and allowing
His Word to live on the inside of you, which means that you
need to prepare a place for Him to dwell. We are triune
beings; meaning, we are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live
in a body. Therefore, we should strive to be a spiritual house
where the Lord can dwell (1 Peter 2:5); keep our mind, which
is part of our soul, focused on the Lord (Isaiah 26:3); and
remember that our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1
Corinthians 6:19).
So how can we apply these biblical concepts in our everyday
business and work life? For me, because I have yielded my
vessel (my entire being) to serving the Lord, I am accountable
to Him when dealing with my business clients and anyone
involved with my nonprofit organization. What that means
is that I must be hospitable—friendly, welcoming, pleasant—
in everything that I do. I have to use manners and common
courtesy as well as operate with honesty, trust, and integrity
as unto the Lord and not as “menpleasers” (Ephesians 6:6).
Titus 1:8 states that bishops, overseers, and elders in the
church “should show hospitality, love what is good, and be
reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled” (CEB). Of
course, we don’t need to have an authority position in a
church in order to display these attributes, but it is certainly
more doable when we allow the Lord to work this type of love
both in and through us. I always appreciate good customer
service when I patronize someone’s place of business, and it
is easy to see which employees genuinely possess hospitable
characteristics and which ones do not have a heart to serve
the public or build mutually-beneficial relationships.
In ancient biblical times, strangers (including angels who
looked like regular men) were welcomed into people’s homes,
provided a place to stay overnight, and given food and water
for themselves as well as the animals that traveled with them.
Unfortunately in this day and age, it is usually not safe enough
for us to extend that type of offer to someone we do not know.
As a matter of fact, we would probably walk away before they
got close enough to even approach us with a certain plea or
request. However, when we allow Christ to dwell on the inside
of us and we are led by the Spirit of God according to Romans,
Chapter 8, then we can learn how to “show hospitality to one
another without complaining” (1 Peter 4:9, MEV)!
Sharlyne Thomas
Spirit of Excellence
Writing & Editing Services, LLC
321.209.2309
[email protected]
TakeUpThySword.com
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VOL 4, Issue 5
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