Hospitality Isn’t About a Perfect Home

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It started with a letter. Rosaria Butterfield, a college professor who'd written a scathing article about Christians, received a note from a local pastor, Ken Smith.

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Instead of arguing, he invited her to dinner with him and his wife, Floyd. No agenda, just a simple table and good food. What surprised her was that they had a real conversation. She expected a debate and instead found radical hospitality. One meal turned into many. She hated Christians, but she kept showing up. Why?

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger, and I've been a pastor for over 40 years. And in the next few minutes, we're going to explore how the Bible calls us to live out our faith, not in perfect presentations, but in real authentic love that invites people into our lives. Today's verse is Romans 12, 13. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

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So why did Rosaria Butterfield, an outspoken critic of Christianity, keep showing up at the Smiths' home? Because their hospitality was honest and human.

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Ken and Floyd listened without rushing to argue. They opened Scripture without pressure and made space for hard questions.

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Over time, the gospel moved from an idea to a living person, and Rosaria came to faith in Jesus.

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Years later, she would call it radical, ordinary hospitality.

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Not a perfect home, but an open one. She even wrote a book about it. The gospel comes with a house key. And the heart of her message is this. Hospitality is not about impressing people with our homes. It's about welcoming people into our lives so they can see Jesus. Why is it that when someone shows up at our house, we feel compelled to apologize that our house is a mess? Maybe it's just a clothes basket by the couch, or the kids' toys on the floor. We often think we need to clean up the house, cook a fancy meal, or have everything in order before we can invite someone in. But the truth is, most people aren't looking for a flawless home.

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They're looking for a safe place.

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A place where people are real and welcoming. That's what Ken and Floyd Smith offered. And God used it to change a life.

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Hospitality, at its core, is discipleship. It's evangelism.

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It's making room at the table, and in our schedules, and in our hearts. Romans 12, 13 doesn't say practice hospitality when everything looks perfect. It says, always be eager to practice hospitality. Here's today's challenge. Think of one person in your neighborhood, or your workplace, or who might need encouragement. Who's lonely, or who needs to hear the good news about Jesus. Invite them into your space this week. It doesn't have to be fancy. It could be as simple as coffee at the kitchen table, take out pizza, or even just a walk. Let God use your authenticity to open the door to deeper conversations. Lord, thank you for welcoming us into your family. Help us to extend that same welcome to others. Not with perfection, but with love and authenticity. Help us to be real.

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Give us courage to open our homes and our hearts, so that through our simple acts of hospitality, people might see Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives.

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Remember, hospitality isn't about a perfect home. It's about an open heart. Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless, and have a great day.