1 Thessalonians 9-11, "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you....

I love this passage, especially the part about studying to be quiet.  Another version says, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. "  And to what purpose?  For the purpose, in this passage of glorifying God through hospitality. 

There have been a few difficult times in my life, when the frequent moves, or a lack of prioritizing have caused me to hesitate to show hospitality.  The needs of my own family just seemed too demanding to open up my home and heart to others.  This is one area however that the Lord asks us to get a handle on, so we may bless others. 

One Christmas time a friend stopped by with cookies.  We lived out in the country and maybe I had a sick child that day, but we were all watching a movie (Little Women) and the house looked like a stampede of two year olds had just run through. I was so embarrassed I didn't want to open the door, but I love to see people, and love free cookies, so I inched the door open and apologized for the disaster.  The tables have been turned many times as well, and I have been in homes where my hands fairly itched to pick up a broom and clear the debris from the floor.  The Bible doesn't say a lot about clean houses, but it does say something about being a keeper at home and working with your own hands.  In my limited experience the only times where my house caused me embarrassment were when I was out the door every minute, not pausing to clean up after ourselves, or when I felt too bored of housework to pick it up. Neither excuse is God glorifying. 

A few things I am trying to do to be ready to "walk honestly toward them that are without" (1Thess4:12) are....

1.  Teach my children to pick up after themselves

2.  Avoid shopping, the less I have, the less there is to pick up

3.  Keep the dishes done and the floor swept after meals

Just those three things would make a huge difference in how I felt about drop in guests.  If those three things were a habit in our lives, it would be nothing to put on water for tea, and put out a plate of fruit or toast for the glory of God, and love for the brethren.

Jennifer Pepito
Devotional Editor