Practical Hospitality, Part 1


Over the course of this month, I will share close to 100 small steps towards hospitality. It doesn't necessarily come easily. Hospitality can be uncomfortable, messy, and time-consuming, but the rewards are great. My hope is that by making minor shifts in our days (myself included) we can grow and challenge ourselves to be more hospitable in our day-to-day activities.

Note: these could be called acts of kindness, serving your community, or loving your neighbor. I believe these all fall into the category of hospitality -- I am continuing to work on reshaping my personal ideas of hospitality from a societal pressure to the much more freeing calling from God.

1. Offer you seat, on public transit, in a coffee shop, or even a park bench.
2. Talk to someone new.
3. Open your front door. 
4. Sit on your front porch.
5. Play with your kids in the front yard, or side yard, or wherever you might be more inclined to run into a neighbor.
6. Write a letter to someone you haven't talked to in too long.
7. Write a letter to someone who wouldn't expect to receive mail from you.
8. Take a walk to your local coffee shop.
9. Buy a coffee for a friend, or the person behind you.
10. Strike up a conversation with the person checking you out at the grocery store.
11. Take a walk around your neighborhood.
12. Say hello to the people you pass.
13. Ask about people's dogs (it is easier than asking questions about their kids...babysteps!)
14. Find the oldest person in the room and talk to them. 
15. Ask someone about their day and really listen to their answer. 
16. Learn the names of the people you pass regularly, from the security guards and cleaning crews at work to the local shop keepers.
17. Begin saying hello to those people by name -- practice. 
18. Hand out (nut-free) granola bars to homeless. Invite someone over for muffins in the morning, or tea in the evening - both are quick and easier than a full meal.
19. Send a paper invitation to a friend for dinner, date TBD, within a specific time frame. Commit to setting a date.
20. Contribute to a tip jar at a pizza place or restaurant with a carry out counter.

Check back each Sunday for more ways to practice hospitality.


I am joining The Nester's challenge and blogging for #31Days 
on the topic of Hospitality and Holiness
Here are some of my previous posts.


3 comments:

  1. Thanks for the tips! I will join in on this challenge of practicing hospitality! :) I thought of you at church on Sunday because our pastor was saying that practicing hospitality was an intense part of the gospel! :)

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  2. These are such great ideas! I'm just now reading your blog for the first time (shameful, I know!) But I'm so very excited about this series! We went to the local huge grocery store (you know which I mean :) ) tonight and I was struck by how friendly people can be just standing in line together. Three cheers for biblical hospitality and neighborliness!

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  3. I love this list! Such practical steps. I love the idea of sending paper invitations. It's such a tiny, thoughtful gesture that we mostly ignore these days except for big events like weddings. But everyone likes to get an invitation in the mail!

    ~Emily
    http://www.theorangeslate.com
    @emilyamccord

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