What Does it Mean to Be Hospitible?

From a scriptural perspective, being hospitable means more than entertaining guests in our homes. It’s a selfless and welcoming act, reflecting the character and heart of God in practical ways. 

The world often defines hospitality as a matter of fun, luxury, or convenience. The secular idea ties being hospitable to dinners, impressing guests, or creating a warm and inviting environment. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with making guests feel welcome, the world’s version tends to focus on the host or social benefits rather than any sacrificial service. 

The world has a whole industry devoted to hospitality—hotels, restaurants, and entertainment. These focus on comfort and more transactional service. In most cultures, being hospitable extends to friends and family, investing in existing relationships rather than opening doors to strangers or others in need. In some ways, the world’s hospitality becomes self-serving, asking, “How can this benefit me?” rather than “How does this serve others?” 

In contrast, Jesus taught how true hospitality doesn’t look for a return payment (Luke 14:12-14). The Bible calls believers to hospitality as a reflection of God’s love. In essence, God’s redemption invites us into his house, his family. As Paul tells the church in Ephesians 2:19, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” God doesn’t just invite his friends, or those who deserve it, but aliens and strangers, even enemies, into his eternal household through Jesus. As a further example, he happily adopts people into his family (Ephesians 1:5). God doesn’t simply save us from hell, which he does, but his goal is to save us to include us in his family. The Bible shows this through its teaching on hospitality. 

In the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:34 commands radical hospitality. “The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” God’s people were foreigners in another land and treated as slaves. To reflect the character of God, it would be different in Israel. The Lord commanded them to include foreigners and strangers as family. 

Jesus modeled this self-sacrificial hospitality throughout his ministry. He dined with tax collectors, healed the sick, and engaged with outcasts like the woman at the well. His example showed how hospitality isn’t about convenience but seeing and serving others like God does. Biblical hospitality actively pursues ways to love others outside the norm, people not our friends and family or even our own social community. 

Believers should reclaim the biblical hospitality. It’s a practical and powerful way to point people to Christ and his Kingdom. 

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When we understand how hospitality reveals the heart of God, it shouldn’t surprise us how often the Bible commands us to participate in being hospitable. 

The apostle Paul tells us to, “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Romans 12:13) Paul instructs believers to actively think about and look for ways to be hospitable to others, first the church and then those outside the community. He places the instruction in the same sentence as giving to Christians in need, implying hospitality as a need for others. When writing to a fellow minister, Paul lists hospitality among the aspects required for spiritual leadership over others (Titus 1:7-8). Biblically, true spiritual leadership invites people into their homes and lives. The apostle Peter teaches to be hospitable without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9). The secret, as in all things, is to know the power and heavenly joy that comes through generosity. 

Jesus taught us to throw a party for the marginalized and strangers, not our friends. “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors … But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.” (Luke 14:12-14) Like God loves others unconditionally, not out of need for what they have to give him, Christ reveals how we can show this through a party. Jesus even teaches how eternity will be divided by love for others, including welcoming strangers (Matthew 25:35). 

The writer of Hebrews includes how people might be engaging heavenly beings. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2) While this passage connects with Old Testament examples like Abraham, it also supports when Jesus said hospitality to strangers would be accounted as if done to him personally. 

Acts 2:46 recounts how the early church “broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Many Jews had traveled to Jerusalem for the Pentecost festival, and when the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples, thousands chose to follow Jesus and stayed in the city. They needed hospitality, and Acts describes how the Christians in Jerusalem lived like one big family, sharing everything with each other. God rewarded this community love by bringing them more people. 

Later in Acts, God supernaturally released Paul and Silas from prison. The Philippian jailer welcomed the missionaries into his home, and his entire household was saved (Acts 16:32-34). The simple act of hospitality led to his whole natural family becoming part of the eternal family of God. 

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The Scripture is full of stories demonstrating the power of hospitality. Here are only a few. 

In Genesis 18, Abraham and Sarah welcome three visitors while they camped at Mamre. When Abraham saw these three men near his tent, he rushed to meet them and offered water, rest, and a meal. Soon, Abraham realizes these men were heavenly beings, one God himself appearing as a human. Abraham experienced great reward for his kindness and hospitality. First, God reaffirmed his covenant and promise that Sarah would bear a miracle son. Second, the Lord shared his plan for Sodom, to destroy it for its sin. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, lived there, and Abraham negotiated with God regarding his plan. 

We see another powerful story when the Israelite spies entered Jericho before Israel attacked the city. Rahab, a Canaanite woman, welcomed the spies into her home and then hid them from the king’s men. She understood God’s anointing and power on the Israelites and chose to help them. Because of her hospitality, the spies promised she and her family would be spared when Israel conquered Jericho. Rahab later married into Israel, became part of the Messianic line (Matthew 1:5), and is noted by James and Hebrews for her great faith. Hospitality leads to being included in God’s redemptive story. 

God blesses another Gentile woman when she shows hospitality. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, Elijah arrives in the home of a poor widow, and he asks her for food during a famine. She explains how she only had enough for one meal before she and her son would die before starving. However, she trusts the prophet Elijah and makes food for him first. God miraculously filled her jar of flour and jug of oil every day until the famine ended, sustaining her and her family as a reward for being hospitable to the prophet. Later, when her son gets sick and dies, Elijah prays and brings the boy back to life. God promises to provide all needs when believers seek to be hospitable. Lack isn’t an excuse. When Christians seek the Kingdom and God’s righteousness, he will give what’s needed and more (Matthew 6:33). 

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We’ve already seen ways to seek hospitality. Invite people over to your home and share a meal with them, helping them feel known and seen. Throw a party for strangers. Seek to bless the poor and marginalized. In general, biblical hospitality looks like inviting people into your life like the Father invites us into his—with love and inclusion. If you’re looking for a couple creative ways to express biblical hospitality, here are a few. 

Instead of just inviting people over for dinner, we can create a more intentional gathering with purpose. As an example, share meals from different cultures and invite immigrants, refugees, or international students to feel welcomed. Perhaps you can encourage guests to a storytelling night, having them share testimonies or life stories for deeper connections. My wife and I have done a few creative dinner nights, and they’ve been a great time to get to know new people and celebrate their talents. 

Hospitality goes beyond a meal. Having people stay in our homes stretches us to serve and give, treating people like family. Many people need temporary housing—missionaries, students, or families that have been displaced. You can host a missionary or other ministry workers instead of having them stay in a hotel. For another example, you can provide a room for a foster child or a young adult in transition. Some college students would love to have a home away from home in a welcoming environment. While people argue over immigration on social media, you can invite refugees into your home, making space for them as Christ does for us, becoming a living testimony to God’s radical love. 

You can create a “blessing basket” ministry through putting together packages or baskets filled with items for those in need. For new neighbors, give them a welcome note with recommendations for local restaurants and maybe some homemade baked items. For new parents, especially a single mom, make a basket with diapers, baby wipes, and other things all parents need. Include a card and note of encouragement. Many churches have a list of the hospitalized or sick. You can deliver items of comfort to them like scriptures, tea, or books. 

With our eyes open to opportunities, we can be spontaneously hospitable anywhere. While at a coffee shop, invite someone sitting alone to join your table, or you can pay for a stranger’s coffee. At work, keep snacks to give away or initiate celebrating someone’s birthday. You can ask to treat someone for lunch, too. My wife sometimes brings coworkers homemade lunches when she knows their having a difficult time. 

These are only simple ideas. Adjust for yourself and your situation. Pray and ask God. He’s very creative and will give you ideas. Whatever you do, being biblically hospitable requires intentionality. God does all things on purpose, nothing by accident, so we have to do the same. And God traversed the impossible gap between heaven and earth by sending his own Son so we could be part of his family. Being hospitable will also require us to go out of our comfort zones and make sacrifices. But God promises to supply our needs and reward us when we do. 

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