Do you know the difference between hospitality and entertaining? I know I often use these words as synonyms for each other. I have started to wonder what the difference is as we have learned more about what it means to be hospitable through our latest series of blog posts. Let’s take a closer look together at the difference between these words. Thefreedictionary.com defines these words like this:

Entertain: To hold the attention of with something amusing or diverting
Hospitality: Cordial and generous reception of or disposition toward guests

Hospitality is not entertaining. Entertaining is something we do to hide, or as this definition says, to divert people from actually being in our lives. We make sure that when we invite people over to do things with us, we have our best foot forward. We often wear this mask of entertainment that makes it seem like everything is going great in our lives. Entertainment is more about us than the people we are entertaining.  We often host or entertain when we feel like our house or life is in order, or at least at a time where we can make it look like it is.

Hospitality is having genuine, open time with people no matter where you are at or how crazy your life may look or sound at the moment. Hospitality is at the heart of Jesus. We see that in the way he ate with sinners in Mark 2:13-17. Jesus invited anybody and everybody to come be with him. He didn’t wait until everything was in perfect order to show love and hospitality. Jesus was genuine in the way he did this.He was fully invested in people and didn’t do things just to entertain people for a short period of time. Our challenge for this week is to show hospitality the way Jesus did. It is important to Him so it should be important to us.

Have a great week showing hospitality the way Jesus did, Grace family!

Sean