Hospitality as Social Justice: Belonging Saves Lives

Today, I speak to people at Wild Goose about Hospitality.

Hospitality as a means of social justice. Hospitality as a way to save lives.

And I'm a little torn about this. Reminding people to be hospitable is like reminding your kid to brush their teeth. They know they should, but they don't. They know it's a long-term investment, but for whatever reason, they can't be bothered to brush their teeth right now. Too many shiny objects. Too busy. Too tired.

Hospitality seems to be going this way as well. But in some ways, the hospitality situation is worse. When people around you have bad breath, it reminds you to brush your teeth. When people are inhospitable, I think our first reaction is to become angry and close down. Maybe we even say, "Why should I? Everyone else is acting this way." Or worse..."No one does that anymore (so why should I?)."

Here's where I want to challenge that. Be hospitable and be welcoming because no one else is right now. It's low-hanging fruit. But at the same time, it requires work. It requires thought, planning, and discussions with your group. But it is time well spent that will pay off immensely in the long run.

As I was writing up my final evaluation for my candidacy internship, I came to realize that my true call is to create belonging. Granted, I tend to do that mainly in a campus and church ministry setting...but still, it's simply what I do. My passion and academic research tie into this as well. Even as a young kid, I never wanted anyone to sit alone, eat alone, or be alone. And while my height, hair color, and heart have changed over the years, that still remains.

My research showed that for people experiencing suicidality (suicidal thoughts, plans, attempts), belonging is more important than food, clothing, and shelter (sorry, Maslow). I suspect it's the same for those not experiencing it as well. To belong is lifesaving. And that is the topic of my presentation on Friday and Saturday.

Therefore, figure out how you're going to do radical hospitality. If you have no idea where to start, reach out to me. If you're ready to start dreaming about how hospitality can create belonging in your church, your ministry, or your community, let's connect. I would love to coach you on those first crucial steps. Because hospitality is crucial, especially in the world we live in right now. Hospitality is a way to flip the script, like Jesus did, and care for your neighbors. I personally think it's the easiest way to show the love of Jesus.

Hospitality. Saves. Lives.