I used to hate Thursdays.  Thursday always felt like the day to play catch up.  The house was always a mess from the previous busy evenings.  We always had to cram because the spelling test is always Friday.  We had to do bathtime because we get home late from church on Wednesdays.  By Thursday, all the good stuff in the fridge was already eaten.  And I was just plain cranky.

I needed a serious shift in my attitude.  

Several weeks ago, a podcast preacher challenged me with Jesus’ famous words from the book of Matthew 22:37-40 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.” 

The preacher challenged us to open our homes to our neighbors and get to know them beyond, “Beautiful day for a walk!”  So, despite my introverted tendencies, I decided that we needed to start showing some hospitality.

Well the only night of the week that we consistently have available to invite people over is…  Thursday night.  So that means some things have to shift.  We are going to have to study those spelling words on Monday nights.  We are going to have to do showers in the morning.  We are going to have to save some delicious stuff to serve to our guests, and most importantly, I am going to have to be pleasant!

For the past couple months, each week we have chosen a different family to invite over for dinner.  And this new tradition has a whole host of benefits!

  • Inviting people over gives us something to look forward to and get excited about: a great meal, great conversation, and entertained kids.
  • Inviting people over inspires us to have the house picked up before the weekend which makes our weekends less stressful.
  • Inviting people over gives us the opportunity to get to know the families of our kids’ friends.  That makes me feel more comfortable about play dates.
  • And most importantly, inviting people over, even if we don’t talk about church, gives us the opportunity to share God’s love with others through the blessing of hospitality.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 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.  If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:8-10 (NIV)

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