Presented by Julie Busteed

Have you ever caught yourself grumbling about serving others? The Apostle Peter addresses this issue in 1 Peter 4:9-11.

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:9-11).

Did you catch that? You and I are called to offer hospitality without grumbling! That means showing God’s love by serving others with the gifts he’s given us—and doing so without complaining.

Peter gives examples of how to serve others using our God-given gifts. Whether it’s through speaking truthfully from God’s Word or helping one another with all our strength. Everything you and I have is from him, and we are called to use it for his purposes.

Hospitality can take many forms:

Listening with care

Sending an encouraging message

Reaching out to someone who’s struggling

Praying with or for someone

Helping with a task or technology

Running errands or grocery shopping

Visiting someone who is homebound

Peter emphasizes we’re not to complain about this kind of service. Why? So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. When we serve others with a willing heart, we reflect Christ and bring glory to God.

Offering hospitality can be inconvenient, expensive, even aggravating at times. But you and I are called to pursue this with a good attitude. It pleases God and is a witness to how Christians are meant to love and care for one another.