A home is where hospitality lives

During the civil war, houses that were caught in midst of battles were transformed by need into buildings that could best serve the wounded. Because of the urgent need for shelter, water, and personal attention to wounds many homes turned into hospitals, barns into Intensive Care Units, and the resources on the compound no longer only serviced the needs of the family, but of those in need, the soldiers.

Fast forward to around the early 1900's and you'll find a radical named Francis Schaeffer. His philosophy was also formed around the home, and was also formed around the need of those around him. The need? People wanted answers to life concerning just about anything spiritual: Why am I here? If God is good, why does evil exist? How can God allow pain and suffering and still be a just God? Francis Schaeffer, a theologian, an artist, a pastor, and a philosopher believed that the Word of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is sufficient to answer all these and more. He bravely opened his home to anyone who would want to struggle through their big questions in life, and thus birthed a theory of community that exists in many cities throughout the world, called L'Abri.

I've been thinking some about homes, and how they are an echo of our heavenly home. Just as my home in heaven will be perfectly God exalting, so I want my home to be. Christ exulting, brother and sister admonishing, where broken-hearts are lifted and the refreshing breath is breathed into each others sails.

Brothers and sisters, we have about 70-90 years on this earth. You don't exist for yourself! If you think you were made for coming home to watch your TV 'til you go to sleep, your selling yourself extremely short (I'm not saying TV is bad, we just tend to not be good stewards of things that feed laziness). If you just want to go home and not be bothered by those people who want to "be up all in your business", you may not understand the purpose of the community of Christ. I'll close with a quote I heard recently from John Piper,

If you don't at least have a leaning towards a desire to excercise hospitality to others, you may not have truly felt the love of Christ from the cross."

What do you want your home to be? What do you want your home to be TO people?