The Six Gifts of Hospitality

The Six Gifts of Hospitality
by Laurel S. Sewell

We often think of hospitality as inviting friends into our homes for meals. More often it is a non-reciprocal meeting of the needs of another, especially the needs of the less fortunate and even our enemies. It is a collection of gifts we give to other people.

In the Six Gifts of Hospitality, Laurel Sewell explores this collection of gifts by using the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-40: When I was...

• hungry, you gave Me food,
• thirsty, you gave Me drink,
• a stranger you took Me in,
• naked you clothed Me,
• sick you visited Me,
• in prison you came to Me. 

For the Christian, hospitality in a broad sense is a commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). So it is not a matter of whether we wish to offer some form of hospitality but a vital part of our purpose in life. By using these gifts, we fulfill the two greatest commandments - to love God and to love one another.

Table of Contents:            Preface - The Toughest Test Then Shall the King Say Defining Hospitality The Role of Food- The Gift of Nourishment, Part 1 The Role of Food- The Gift of Nourishment, Part 2 A Cup of Cold Water - The Gift of Service When There Is No Room in the Inn - The Gift of Shelter "Let Him Have Your Cloak Also" - The Gift of Benevolence, Part 1 The Significance of Clothing - The Gift of Benevolence, Part 2 Bear One Another's Burdens - The Gift of Comfort Giving of Yourself - The Gift of Companionship Missed Opportunities Teaching Children Hospitality God's Gifts of Hospitality to Christians Resources