Open Door

Through hospitality, we transform our homes and our tables into a place of ministry, reflecting the love of Christ. Consisting of only 25 verses, 3 John is one of the shortest books in the New Testament. It is an intimate and personal letter from an elderly apostle to his dear friend Gaius. The letter touches upon an important but often overlooked topic: hospitality. In the first century, teachers and missionaries traveling from city to city needed the hospitality of local believers for lodging and food. Inns were often dangerous, expensive, and unreliable. Therefore, for a missionary arriving in an unfamiliar city, the best option was to turn to the church. Gaius made it a habit to welcome these strangers into his home because they came in the name of Christ. John wrote to thank him and made a remarkable point: by receiving these travelers, Gaius became a 'fellow worker for the truth.' The spare room in his house and his table had turned into a ministry. The work he did was part of the church's mission and was in no way inferior in importance to any sermon. Hospitality often seems like a task of little significance at the moment. It is a simple act: a meal, a place to sleep, and a warm welcome. But the Scriptures encourage us to act this way. For the love of Christ reaches the world in this very way: through people who open the doors of their lives and their hearts to others.