The English language translates the Greek word philoxenia as hospitality. The literal meaning of philoxenia is “love of strangers.” The biblical interpretation of hospitality is the demonstration of love toward strangers, as we see in the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.

Sometimes we think that giving only means offering money or material gifts. But there are many ways to give—giving quality time to others, serving those in need, sharing the gospel, and also being hospitable. Today, I’d like to talk about the last one. Interestingly, before going abroad, I had never studied or even paid much attention to this topic. When I arrived in West Africa, I was deeply impacted by the hospitality shown to me by the local people. They made me feel at home even though I was a stranger to some of them; their acts of service made me feel special. Every conversation I had in the homes of my neighbors and friends carried an atmosphere of giving without expecting anything in return. They gave quality time and, in the midst of their own needs, offered water, tea, peanuts, juice, and often even lunch or dinner. I spent the night several times in my local friends’ homes. The hospitality in that part of the world taught me so much and led me to reflect on what the Bible says about it.

God encourages us to be hospitable and to do so without complaining—to find joy in hospitality and to do it expecting nothing in return. Can you imagine how the ill man felt when the Good Samaritan took care of him? He is a beautiful example of love, compassion, and hospitality. He invested time and money to bless this man. This encourages me to do the same for those around me. Let’s look for ways to practice hospitality and pray for creative ways to do so.