Inside-Out Hospitality

🎶 I use my eyes to see, see, see. I use my ears to hear. I use my hands to touch, touch, touch. I use my nose to smell. I use my mouth to chew, chew, chew, and taste what’s on my plate! 🎶

If you have toddlers, you may have heard this Cocomelon song more times than you can count! I know I have! But as repetitive as it is, it reminds us that God designed our five senses with purpose—and they play a huge role in how we experience the world, including hospitality. As Christians, we are even more blessed to have a ‘6th sense’. Yes, you probably guessed it right, I am referring to the Holy Spirit! You will find Him in every article because He is the glue to all these senses.

How our home looks, the sounds that fill the air, the comforting scents, the tastes we offer, and even the warmth of our touch all contribute to how someone feels in our presence. But Christian hospitality is not about showcasing ourselves; it’s about making Christ known through our love and generosity.

I am excited to be starting this series on the 6 senses of hospitality. Are you ready? Let’s begin!

Seeing Hospitality through God’s eyes

First impressions matter! God our ultimate host carefully prepared the world before inviting man over. When Adam and Eve opened their eyes for the first time, they saw a beautiful home with the perfect colour palettes and art. All this, pointing to His glory!

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20, NLT)

While your house must not be Instagram or Pinterest-ready before you can host, there is some effort you can put in. A dirty, scattered house can be very distracting and uncomfortable for the guest, and even for you the host while a well-lit, inviting room can make them feel at ease.

How a host, the space, and even the guest look can set the tone for the entire hospitality experience. Let’s dive into some quick and easy tips.

For the host: Presenting yourself well

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22, NLT)

• A warm smile makes people immediately feel welcomed.
• Dress appropriately by being modest and clean. It shows you have respect for your guests.
• Attentiveness with eye contact, warm facial expression and even being able to catch cues…e.g. a guest who is fidgeting might be in need to ease themselves of need water, etc.

The space: Visually welcoming

But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40 NLT)

• Declutter and clean: Have a daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedule. Also, have a system to do quick cleaning (under 5 minutes) before a guest arrives. Don’t forget the yard and toilet!
• Décor: Don’t go emptying your bank accounts. Less is more. Capitalize on a few centerpieces, and wall art colour palettes, and why not create iconic spaces where visitors will want to take photos for their social media!  Use Bible verse décor around the house.
• Lighting: As much as possible, use natural light by opening the curtains. If you have guests that stay the night, a bedside lamp can be a good idea as well.  
• Food service: The way you serve food should be appealing, don’t just pack everything on the plate with no steeze.
• Labels: Personally, I like labeling my toilet so that a guest knows exactly where to go when they would like to ease themselves. This also prevents them from entering the wrong rooms.

I visited a church once and I had to ease myself, I could almost give my life to Christ again just with the décor …in the toilet! I am not referring to the way it was pristine and clean or the flowers…no, it was the poster on its door pulling me to Jesus. I also visited my in-laws and her bathroom had all these encouraging Christian stickers on it. What a way to boost one’s faith…in the toilet!

Needless to say, I just copied and pasted, ordered Christian stickers from JollyLife Books, and did the needful in my toilet and strategic areas in my house! If you are looking to have Bible verses framed in your house, say I want in the comment section and I will connect you.

The guest: Looking beyond the surface

“Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

This is the place of the 6th sense, the Holy Spirit. For example, you ask someone how they are doing, and they say they are fine yet the Holy Spirit gives you a word of knowledge that the person is not fine or something is up. E.g. Jesus and the woman at the well (John 4) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). It requires sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Don’t just rush home after church, or just eat lunch with your colleagues without looking into what they are not saying with their words but screaming with their moods.

Conclusion

Remember, the goal is not for you to use the excuse that until your house is clean, you won’t invite people over or extend hospitality in other settings. Yes toddler mamas, even in the messy house, practice hospitality. Your house isn’t a museum for everything to always be in place. A house that is lived in should look like one. At the end of the day, it’s to give glory to God. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:16)

Did you enjoy this article? Please like and share. Can you tell us in the comment section what you do in your home to appeal to the sense of sight for your guests or what you intend to do?

Next up: The Sound of Hospitality (next post, subscribe and stay tuned)