Inside-Out Hospitality

Host: Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Hospitality Heroes Spotlight show, where we spotlight Bible characters who demonstrated hospitality and the lessons we can draw from them. Are you new here? You are welcome, feel at home! Find the last episode here! Today, we are honored to have the presence of another hospitality icon. He is a well-known author and strategist; he is an international speaker known for his delegation principle. He is also the father of 7 beautiful women. Let’s welcome the Priest of Midian, Reuel, also known as Jethro. You are welcome, sir!

Jethro: Thank you. It’s an honor to be invited to the Inside-out Hospitality Blog. I enjoyed the last episode of Father Abraham. The invite surprised me because I am used to invitations from church pastors and business corporations to help them with delegation. This is the first time I have been invited to talk about hospitality.

Host: True, you are most known for delegation, but you can’t escape our hospitality radar. The story of how you welcomed Moses as a complete stranger into your home, and he eventually became your son-in-law, is fascinating. Can you tell us more about it?

Jethro: Oh, my best invitation to date! So here it goes. My 7 beautiful daughters got home earlier than usual from fetching water. When I asked them, they said they were helped by a young man who helped them fight off the shepherds that used to disturb them. He even went ahead to fetch water for them and water their flock. A man doing that for complete strangers sounded heroic to me. Someone doesn’t just do something like that for you or people you care about and you just let it go. I don’t know why my daughters did not invite him earlier (shaking his head).  So, I wanted to show my gratitude for his hospitality by reciprocating. I asked him to come share a meal with us.

“And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.” Exodus 2:20

Host: Wow, having an Egyptian Prince in your home must have been a pleasure. And…(clears throat), tell us how sharing a meal led to him staying over and eventually becoming your son-in-law (winking at Jethro).

Jethro: (laughing) Hahahaha, it’s not what you think. I did not know who he was before inviting him. Remember, he was a fugitive from Egypt and didn’t look like a Prince when the girls met him resting at the well. We got to know each other from our conversations over the meal. He spoke about his past, and I saw a young man with so much potential that he just needed grooming. Plus, he needed a place to stay, so why not?

Host: Talking about his past, how he killed someone. Sounds like he had issues with self-control and anger management. Were you not scared of having someone like that living with your precious daughters?

Jethro: Unlike Lot, I love my daughters a lot and will do anything to keep them safe. Please do not let him know I said that (chuckles). I had my reservations about Moses in the beginning. Still, as I said, the guy had potential…he used that same energy to save my daughters and eventually saved the Israelites. But for the first year, he lived in the ‘boys’ quarters,’ and I had my eye on him…very observant. Of course, I felt led by God to take him in. Hospitality does not mean you take in all strays and bring them into your home without discernment. You must depend on God’s leading and not be limited by people’s past.

Host: Deep! There’s still one part you didn’t answer. How did sharing a meal transform Moses into your inlaw?

Jethro: Blame it on hospitality! That’s what hospitality does. It creates and builds uncommon relationships. As per how he became my inlaw, well… let’s just say, each time Moses had to have his meal, I made sure Zipporah was the one to serve him…how it turned out, it’s not on me (winking).

Host: Wise man! Maybe we can add MatchMaker ProMax to your portfolio. All that potential can’t go elsewhere; it must stay in the family. Thank you for such lovely insight. Many have indeed met their destiny helpers by showing or receiving hospitality. Before we end the show, do you have any tips on practicing hospitality?

Jethro: I will say learn the art of delegation. Many shy away from welcoming people to their homes because they dread the preparations, which may involve cleaning, cooking, etc. I had 7 girls, and they all chipped in. You may not have many people, but you can learn to outsource some services or even go for some items that do not need much work. For example, instead of buying bitter leaves and cutting and washing yourself, you could exceptionally buy the already washed ones! Don’t become like Martha, trying to do it all. Hospitality is less about presentation than presence and Christ-centeredness. Plus, you do not want to wear yourself down whenever you invite someone.

Host: Mr. Delegation…I knew we would have some wise words on that! Dear audience, there you go; learn to delegate to reduce stress! You can find more of his expert tips in his Master class in delegation found in Exodus 18:13-26. Thank you so much for sharing these precious insights with us. We loved having you on the show.

Jethro: Once again, it’s my pleasure. All the best on your blog. I will definitely subscribe, share, like, and comment, and so many more people can be blessed by this. Life-changing relationships will birth forth when we start practicing hospitality.

Host: Thank you. And you, the audience, please like, share, and comment. Can you reflect on some relationships you have now that birthed from someone being hospitable to you or you to them? Which relationships can you build today with simple acts of hospitality? That’s it for today. Don’t forget to check our other posts, and see you in 2 weeks for a fresh episode. Who do you want to see on the show? You already know; write in the comment section!