The Land of Hospitality

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“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:9-10

Disney World may be the most magical place on the planet. The rides are so much fun with a mix of nostalgia in them. The shows are second to none. And I’m not even sure how they keep the bathrooms so clean with that many people coming through. But there is one thing that Disney has that sets them apart from anywhere else. Hospitable employees!

It seems as though everyone who works for Disney absolutely loves what they do. If you need directions, they will not only tell you where to go… they will walk you there. They will find out the answer to any question you may have.

If anything gets in your way of a good time, they will give it all they have to make it up to you. And they do it all with smiles on their faces. It’s amazing! Heck, even the custodians are dancing and having fun with you while they clean up!

Hospitality is Disney’s goal… And as Christians, it should be ours as well.

As Christians, we should be the most hospitable people on the planet. Constantly seeking out ways to put other peoples’ needs before our own. And we should do it without complaining – with smiles on our faces.

It’s our job to not only talk about the love of Jesus… but to demonstrate it as well. And Jesus gives us the greatest model of what true hospitality looks like in the book of Matthew.

“The last shall be first, and the first will be last.” — Matthew 20:16

Who Are You Listening To?

 

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“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” — John 10:27

By now many of us have a GPS. They are a great thing to have; something to guide us on our way. And if we follow the instructions the guide gives us… we will indeed arrive at our destination.

But there are times when we think we know the right path to take. So we trust ourselves, or someone else… and those tend to be the moments where we get lost. The moments we neglect the wisdom of the guide and try to take over ourselves are the moments we find ourselves in the most trouble. I once ended up in an entirely different state because I “knew where I was going” and didn’t need any help to get there! It was both costly and stupid.

In John 10, a group of people approached Jesus and asked him if he was indeed the Christ. His answer, “I did tell you… but you don’t believe me.” It’s as if they were asking for directions but didn’t believe the answer. They were not listening to the guide.

God has a plan, purpose, and direction for each of us. His route is perfect. And if we listen to him… We will arrive at our perfect destination. Or we can neglect the voice of God and listen to ourselves and the voice of others. But let me tell you… this route is both costly and stupid.

So how do you know the voice of God? It’s a voice you will only hear when you spend time with him in his word and through prayer. And let me tell you, when you hear it… you’ll know. Just follow what he tells you to do… And you’ll be just fine.

Prayer: Father, in a world that is loud and chaotic, I pray that we are able to drown out the noise of ourselves and others and follow your voice. And please give us the wisdom to know the difference.