Loving Common People

“Hi!”

“How’s your Mom?”

“What did you do last night?”

“Cute dress!”

“Hey, let’s meet for coffee soon.”

“Did you see the rainbow yesterday?”

“Been missing you!”

“Got plans for Sunday lunch?”

Those are welcome words. We like them. They are common, simple, easy for the mind to digest. We all need them, once in a while, to keep us accountable to each other and to fuel us on to better days. When you hear them, they bring a sort of friendship that is healing. They say, “I care. I care about the small stuff, and I’m here for you if there are burdens that are too heavy for you right now.”

Don’t push those thoughts away. Answer them honestly. But don’t just always be the taker. Give those gifts away. Maybe you say “How’s your Mom” while your friend says such perfect little phrases like “Did you watch the sunset”. And that’s ok, because we weren’t meant to be cookies all cut out to the same design. Variety is good.

This isn’t advocating for a “live and let live” attitude. Quite the contrary. This method of conversation is meant to give space for different talents, while inviting one another into our heart and life.

It’s a form of hospitality. It doesn’t mean we all have to be on the latest cooking spree, or all grow perfect flower gardens, or sew extra dresses with all the details. Offering these small “word gifts” means you can make the best fresh milled cookies, while I like to make pie, and complimenting each other; not only that, but we can eat each other’s sweets without feeling like the other one is barely gagging down what we offered. You can sit at my table and have a glass of water or a cup of hot tea, and I’ll sit at yours and drink a glass of apple juice. And in between the crumbs and tea stains, we can talk about what we did last night or how your mom is. You can step into my house and see my dying plants or unpainted walls, and there’s no apology because these things are what make a house lived in. I can step into yours and smile at the toys scattered on the floor, and relax a bit in knowing that when you come over in 10 years, we won’t have to quick clean and make everything spic and span. Let’s invite people into our lives, not just our homes. Hospitality is more than just serving the perfect meal. It’s about loving each other’s commonness, having the humility to practice (yes, even with our flaws) our talents, and sharing our imperfect food and our imperfect lives.

p.s. some thoughts I’ve had lately, as God works with me on true hospitality🤍