Shelby Olive, Communications Associate

Hebrews 13:1-2

1 Let mutual love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Reflection:

I moved to Houston in 2017. It wasn’t a big move. My family lives nearby, and I had a couple of friends in the area. But I still felt new in the sense that everyone seemed to have budding social lives and full calendars except me. This was my first time living in a big city surrounded by countless people, and somehow, I was the loneliest I’d ever been. 

So, I started cooking. At first, it was a way to fill up my empty weekends. I’d turn on the TV or listen to a podcast and have at it. Then, it became my primary creative outlet. But it wasn’t until I started cooking for others that it transformed into something I never expected.

Much to my embarrassment, hospitality has never been my strong suit. I’ve always admired people who could craft perfect dinner parties, and I was grateful to be included in these gatherings. But I thought that hospitality was best left to the “hostess with the mostest” kinds of people. Plus, I thought I was far too introverted to invite people into my own space. I was wrong. I had become absolutely fed up with being lonely and started inviting new friends to my small apartment and cooking for them. The meals were never anything elaborate, but they were recipes that I had fun making. We’d eat and talk, and over time, the conversations would go from surface-level chit-chat to deep conversations where we would share our life stories, our passions, our fears, and so much more. Eventually, these dinners would not just be me cooking for friends but friends coming over to cook with me. I can’t remember every meal or every conversation, but I do remember every time they left, I’d shut my door feeling more at home in my little, big city apartment.

Loneliness tricked me into believing that if I didn’t have something perfect to offer, I didn’t have anything to offer. However, it was at my own hand-me-down dining table that mutual love was expressed, and in this space, I finally became comfortable letting myself be known by others. Hospitality, I learned, is not just about providing for others. It is about opening a space where people can simultaneously know each other and be known by each other. This is what Hebrews 13:1-2 is driving home. It is a practice of letting go of perfection in exchange for the gift of friendship and mutual love. The food is just a plus. 

Prayer:

Dear God,

What a gift it is to be surrounded by people among whom mutual love continues. You give us so many avenues to connect with others, and none of those avenues have anything to do with being perfect. Today, I set down my tendency to focus on perfection in order to be free to build authentic relationships with others. Amen.