The Gift of Hospitality

"Do you know what I think my spiritual gift is?" Carson asked me out of the blue one evening.

I thought about it for a second before he answered. My mind instantly went to things like teaching and leading, because he does those very well.

"Hospitality", he said.

It was one that hadn't entered into the realm of possibility for me, but when he said it, a light bulb went on in my head and I thought, "Oh. Of course!"

Of course I'd noticed that Carson was the one who spent his time at parties talking to people he'd never met. I knew that every Sunday, before and after the service, he was off introducing himself to people and making them feel welcome. I knew that he loved being the guy to bring coffee for the office, or the first to offer a ride.

But when he said that, it made sense.

Until Carson said something, things hadn't clicked. But since then, I can't stop thinking about it and thinking of all the times his giftedness in this area has been displayed. Just last week as we were leaving the grocery store at dusk, an older woman approached us and asked for a ride. Were I on my own, I would have said no. It was dark, she lived in a scary part of town, I had just gotten off work, and I was hungry. Plus I didn't know her. But Carson saw a woman that needed a ride because it was dark and cold.

I don't often feel ashamed of myself, but when I see selfless acts like that right in the face of my selfishness, it's humbling.

Were I not married to him, I wouldn't be pushed out of my comfort zone in things like this. Do I love having professors over for dinner? To be honest, no. I don't like small talk, I might burn the meal, and blah-blah-blah a million other excuses. I enjoy having people over for super laid back get-togethers, and generally enjoy it best when I know the people well. His tendancy toward seeking those he doesn't know well is hard, but good.

Marriage is good for me. Not in just a romantic way, but in the sense that there is another person whose faults are there for the world to see, and who sees mine. We don't balance each other in every single way, but in a lot of ways, my strengths are not his, and vice versa. I get a first hand lesson in seeing someone love Jesus and love others through hospitality and get to practice that through his leading in that area.

It is both good and humbling. I am thankful for lessons like this in my life. They make me thankful for my husband and for the God who created us all to serve Him differently; different parts of the Body of Christ working together to make His name great.