Leaving a powerful legacy of hospitality is really something that many do not think is important. But if you take a moment and reflect on where you draw your inspiration from, you will realize it is from people. People that have gone before you. A legacy is a gift that has been passed down from generation to generation that impacts each generation.
What is Leaving a Powerful Legacy of Hospitality?
Leaving a legacy of hospitality takes work but it’s our calling as Christians to show the love of Christ in tangible ways to our neighbors, friends, and families in need. Trust me when I say your legacy of hospitality that you leave can change the world, one home at a time.
The Legacy of Hospitality is the intentional practice of being hospitable to those around you. God created people to live in a community with each other, and a legacy of hospitality goes beyond inviting someone over for dinner. It is about creating an atmosphere where everyone feels loved, welcomed, and cared for in your home. In a nutshell, it is about being hospitable to each other.
Leaving Your Legacy Comes from Examples of Others.
Leaving a legacy of hospitality should be intentional and we should take it seriously to bring others to understand true hospitality. In a previous post, we talked about hospitality and the meaning of true hospitality. There are hundreds of posts on the web that talk about hospitality. But let’s all be real with each other. As you know, we learn more from example and from someone pouring into our lives.
Examples of how my mom left a powerful legacy of hospitality
My momma and others give examples of what leaving a legacy of hospitality looks like.
- Open door policy at the dinner table. More times than not, our family had extra guests joining us at the dinner table.
- Always have extra boxes of cake mix and icing on hand for a quick cake or cupcakes to take to a shut-in or an impromptu guest.
- One of my favorite memories of my mom, is her making a cake for someone that lived alone. It was their birthday. She made the cake and we delivered it to the lady. She simply said, no one should have a birthday without a cake. Most of all, the simple act of hospitality left a lifelong impression on the receiver and me.
My childhood friend, Tina, has been impacted by her mom’s legacy of hospitality of always caring for families that have lost a loved one. Her mom was always taking food to the family and loving them thru their grief. As a result, Tina has seen this model and now steps into that role as well. Tina actually came back and said, she even remembers her Granny doing this as well.
Keep looking up and out…
- Keep looking up and out. If you have your head down when walking or sitting, you miss the chance to say hello. The first act of hospitality. This one I remember almost every day. It is a choice to see people. We can walk thru a grocery store and not see or speak to a single person. This isn’t because the store was empty, it is because we are not focused on seeing others. Keep your eyes up and open to smile and say hello. You never know if you will be the only smile that person gets that day.
- One more example. My mom would make sunshine baskets for shut ins and sick in her community. She would find small little gifts, like candles, pens, note pads, etc. with bright yellow color themes. She would make a little basket out of different containers and place some sort of baked good as well in the basket. I could not tell you how many my dad delivered to people in our little community.
You Can Leave a Powerful Legacy of Hospitality
You can leave a legacy of hospitality by simply doing the little things. You can leave a legacy of hospitality by making it intentional in your life. You can find opportunities to love people, care for them, and give them time that will make them feel loved and cared for. Creating a Legacy of Hospitality is simply reaching out to the people around you who may be struggling with physical needs or just need someone to talk to.
Imagine what it would look like if that door was always open, or if no guest ever felt alone. In particular, by making hospitality a lifestyle, your family will thrive. Before you know it, your legacy is forming and will continue on long after you have left this world. It’s all because you’ve been busy practicing hospitality.
Lessons others have learned.
I asked my friends on social media ways they show hospitality to others because of a legacy of hospitality passed down. Here is what some said:
- “Take paper plates, cups, disposable tableware, etc when someone passes away.” Stephanie F
- “Gift a basket of finger foods to newlyweds for the first night of their honeymoon because they don’t really get to relax, eat, and enjoy their reception time.” Stephanie F.
- “When I take someone a meal, use disposable containers so there are no dishes to worry about returning.” Laura M
- “An older friend in Florida always made homemade dressings with salads with yummy toppings so I do that. My mom always makes sure to have super soft, fluffy clean towels for us. Also, another friend always grows zinnias in her yard to have plenty to put in mason jars for friends that stop by so we do that” Alyssa L
- “I eat last always if we have guests, in reality even when we don’t I guess, doesnt matter if it’s family or friends. I honestly didn’t realize I did it until someone pointed it out! Then it took me years to realize it’s because it’s what my Grandmother did every Sunday when I was growing up.” Tina F
- My Childhood friend, Tina, has been impacted by her mom’s legacy of hospitality of always caring for famililies that have lost a loved ones. Her mom was always taking food to the family and loving them through their grief. As a result, Tina has seen this modeled and now steps into the role as well.
How do we leave a legacy of hospitality?
- Living it. If you want to teach your children or others about leaving a legacy of hospitality, then you need to live it and show them. It is not just showing up at their door with food and flowers when something big happens in one’s life.
- Teaching them When we are kind and respectful to them, we teach others how to treat others. The Legacy of Hospitality is not saying or preaching but teaching with our actions.
- Having an open-door policy in your home Open the door wide for family and friends, even strangers, to come into your home at any time of day or nite.
- Being a good example The Legacy of Hospitality will show up in your actions and attitude because the Legacy of Hospitality lives deep within you.
As you can see, leaving a legacy of hospitality is something that we should all take seriously. It is more than just opening our doors to guests; it is living it out daily with our actions and attitude. By teaching our children by example, we are leaving a legacy of hospitality for them to follow. Let’s open our hearts and homes to others and show them what hospitality truly means.
The common thread in this article…
How are you leaving a powerful legacy of hospitaity?
If you have read this article all the way thru, you have heard (which was intentional) the open door policy.
I promise you, it is not hard, and it doesn’t require you to live dangerously. It just requires simple invitations into your home and into your life. Start with your family, your extended family, and others in your community.
Anna, this is a really beautiful post and an area I’ve been training myself in. I grew up in a very private home, my parents still to this day don’t like having people over, so being hospitable is something I’ve pursued over the past few years. I found myself mimicking my parents behaviors, but I know God calls us to be hospitable and so, I’ve changed the narrative in our home. Lord knows I couldn’t do it without Him 🙂 Glad we’ve connected!
Thank you for the sweet comment and WOW, I am. so glad you are turning the page and opening your home up to others. God has called us to be hospitable. That looks different for everyone. The most important thing is you are striving to impact others. Have a great week!!