Hospitality is not just about entertaining, but it is a lifestyle that emerged with the New Testament church after the resurrection of Jesus. His followers shared what they had with each other, and with those who were seeking to know more about Him. In doing this, they were obeying Jesus who told His disciples to “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35). In other words, hospitality was how they where told to live out love on a daily basis. (By the way, Jesus hasn’t rescinded that commandment.)

Generally speaking, the safe, commonplace, comfortable religion that is Christianity today in most of the Western world is a far cry from that fledgling faith of the first century where sharing shelter, food, and clothing was the hallmark. But today, many followers of Jesus are again recognizing a deeper responsibility to use what they have been given to display the love of Jesus and help those in need.

While established rescue missions are the large service centers where a great number of needy people receive the love and attention they so desperately need, you can do the same thing on a smaller scale, in your home and your neighborhood. Theologian Letty Russell calls on Christian to “looks for ways that God reaches out to include all those whom society and religion have declared outsiders and invite them to gather around God’s table of hospitality.”

Consider identifying people in your neighborhood who are struggling to get by and invite them to your place of a cookout. Or, offer various meals—such as a Sunday morning breakfast—at your church, and open it to the public.

True hospitality includes entertaining, but on a deeper level, it’s about welcoming. Entertaining is inviting family and friends into your home for a well-planned dinner party; welcoming is inviting those you know and those you don’t into your life because they need your comfort and care.