"Be hospitable to one another without grumbling." ~1 Peter 4:9
One of the hardest things for me to overlook is people walking on my carpet with their shoes on. Call me a clean freak, but there's so much junk on the ground outside, and then to track it into the house grosses me out. Once I get home, I immediately take my shoes off and put on my slippers. My feet are warm and comfortable, all the while not dirtying up my carpet!
Of course, when guests come over, I can't have everyone take their shoes off. There are several reasons why it may, in fact, be rude for me to ask such a thing. When guests are walking around my house with their shoes on, I must realize that quality time with them is more critical than some dirt getting into my carpet. When Peter wrote this, he probably wasn't thinking about the interior of a house becoming dirty, yet it is what his words bring to my mind. When we're trying to be hospitable yet find ourselves grumbling all the while doing it, it's because we feel a sense of being put out. We have decided to make ourselves the center of attention in our mind instead of putting the other person before ourselves.
Although Peter's words can seem insignificant in the grand scheme of the Christian life, they are of the utmost importance. They're important because if we can't do something seemingly small without blowing it up into a more significant issue, the rest of our Christian life will be stunted. When God says we are to be holy as he is holy (Lev. 20:26), we must break those down into building blocks. Too often, we focus on the big acts of holiness. Instead, we must start/practice the basics each day before attempting to tackle the larger issues of a Holy life. The next time someone walks on my carpet with their shoes on, I must remember that being hospitable without grumbling is essential to forming a Holy life.
Always improve the present moment.
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