The Holy Habit of Hospitality and Caring for the Poor | LEV Church
The Holy Habit of Hospitality and Caring for the Poor
In our Holy Habits series, Pastor Eddie Bousum continued exploring the practices that shape us into people marked by God’s presence and purpose. This week’s focus was on hospitality and caring for the poor—habits that defined the early church and remain essential for followers of Jesus today.
A Legacy of Hospitality in the Early Church
When the Roman world abandoned the vulnerable, Christians stepped in. They adopted abandoned children, cared for the sick during plagues, and shared their resources with the poor—even at the risk of their own lives. Their radical generosity and hospitality set them apart, leading many to Christ.
Hospitality in Scripture
From Abraham rushing to welcome strangers in Genesis 18, to Lot urging guests into his home in Genesis 19, to Job’s testimony of generosity, Scripture repeatedly highlights hospitality as an expression of righteousness—long before the Law was given. Hospitality was never about impressing friends with meals or settings; it was about welcoming the outsider and caring for the vulnerable.
The Greek word for hospitality means “love of strangers.” Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Hospitality is more than an act—it’s a holy habit of welcoming others with God’s love, safety, and provision.
Caring for the Poor
The Bible consistently ties God’s heart to the poor and needy. Ezekiel 16:49 declares that Sodom was judged in part because “they did not help the poor and needy.” Jesus Himself said in Matthew 25 that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him.
Caring for the poor isn’t optional—it’s a holy habit of seeing, serving, and lifting up those who cannot provide for themselves.
Sheep and Goats: A Sobering Reminder
In Matthew 25, Jesus described how He will separate the sheep from the goats. Sheep are recognized not by perfection but by compassion—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, visiting the prisoner. Goats, though outwardly similar, are marked by self-serving independence.
This image challenges us: are we living as sheep who follow the Shepherd’s steady habits, or as goats restless for our own way?
At the Crossroads
Pastor Eddie reminded us that holy habits place us at a crossroads. Jeremiah 6:16 calls us to “stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it.” The question is not whether hospitality and caring for the poor are optional—they are essential to our walk with Christ.
The early church grew because it lived out these holy habits. Today, God still calls His people to walk the ancient paths, embodying hospitality and compassion in a world that desperately needs hope.
Reflection Questions for the Week:
Who in your life right now could use the welcome of hospitality?
How can you practically care for the poor in your community this week?
When faced with a crossroads—comfort or obedience—how will you choose the ancient path?