Kitchen Secrets

Rise and Shine for Jesus!

By Pam Iannello (my late mother)

Luke 14:12-14 (KJV)

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again; and a recompense be made thee.  But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee:  for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

“When thou makest a dinner or a supper”…

Hopefully this activity is something that you engage in frequently and take pleasure in doing! Actually, ladies, this is not to be understood as something we do when we feel like it but the Lord expects it to be a regular occurrence. How do I know that? Because the Bible says WHEN, not IF thou makest a dinner or a supper… Yes, God even keeps track of what we do at home in the kitchen and He is just as concerned with the attitude behind everything we do as well. Cooking is an important part of life and putting your whole heart into making a meal says a lot to those we entertain, even if it is only our husband and children seated at the table. As an Eastern custom, eating collectively is known to be a sign of friendship and commitment to one another and though I live on the other side of the world, I would still have to agree!

On the first Thursday of every month at our church we have what is called "Family Fellowship Night".  This is where every family invites another family into their home for dinner, making sure that no one is without a place to go. There are several reasons why my husband decided to put this into practice with our membership.  First of all, he wanted our families to learn to exercise hospitality one toward another. Secondly, he wanted to promote a more personal type of fellowship, hosted in a private setting rather than just a public setting.  Lastly, it was instituted so that a spirit of unity and a warm, family atmosphere would be present within our church body. It has been a great blessing and the results have been rewarding for everyone involved. 

Needless to say, every month we are all faced with the decision of who to invite into our homes. This also is a valuable lesson in itself… I say that because we are repeatedly faced with the exact issue illuminated in our text above. As a result, what we as God's people have to be careful of is extending false hospitality. Such was the case in Luke Chapter 14 when a leader of the Pharisees invited Christ to dinner. Naturally, Jesus is always aware of what is in men's hearts, including the reasons behind the guests we decide to invite (or not invite!) into our homes…

How important would the Savior say position, title, or status symbols are to you in your social circle?  Certainly, Jesus would be an intimidating individual to dine with for He would know our very hearts and thoughts the entire time! What would your guests think of your reasons for inviting them into your home if they could do the same? Would the dinner be more enjoyable or extremely unenjoyable if this were the case? Christ’s presence was requested on this particular occasion for surveillance purposes, only to be criticized shortly thereafter. Ladies, I hope we are not guilty of such behavior when extending hospitality to others!  Is your table set with truth or as a trap??  Have you been serving deceit for dessert? How much sweeter our fellowship is when sincerity is served before, during and after the meal…  False hospitality is not an expression of the love and grace that God would expect us to extend to each other!

Romans 12:13 (KJV)

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

When extending hospitality, self should not be the focus, but others. In fact, our opening scripture today warns us about only entertaining those who are comfortable to entertain. For instance, people we know well, those that are fun to be with or won’t require any in-depth spiritual conversation, persons we are certain will help us clean up or won't stay too late, folks we want to show off our possessions to, families whose children are well-behaved are all examples of some of the self-centered reasons that support our occasional dinner invitations. In essence, hospitality becomes nothing more than a "mutual admiration society” as one commentator so aptly put it.  And the needs of the saints are rarely considered…

Ladies, there are many ways in which we are guilty of false hospitality and our social life fits this description more often than not, especially in the church!  How many times have you waited to invite someone over after everything in your home was perfect so that you could receive some praise?  How many times have you known this is the very reason you have not yet been invited as a guest into other homes?  Maybe you are saving up for that special item you feel will impress somebody and purchasing that new item becomes cause for celebration as you invite guests to come and be in awe of what you own.  Perhaps you want to prove to others that you ARE a "Proverbs 31 Woman"…  You work like a dog all day long cooking and baking recipes you know will bring you compliments all night long. As awful as it sounds, some women set out to leave their female guest feeling inadequate at being a capable hostess in her own home due to a competitive spirit...  Sorry - that’s not putting out for the good of others; it is self-seeking! In what way might you purposely try to outperform other women with whom you socialize? What a shame when believers are caught in the trap of trying to rise above or impress each other with a fancy collection or even their good habits! Have you ever invited the pastor and his family over just to impress them with your lifestyle? Or maybe you've invited him simply so you could examine his family and pick them apart like a bone after they leave… Ladies, if any of these ugly motives exist in our hearts, we aren't using our hospitality for the right reasons! And God knows our purposes – the whole time we are preparing the meal…

Romans 12:9 (KJV)

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

When looking after the needs of the saints, have no hypocritical love. Our motives for sharing must be for the praise of God and not for the applause of men!  Look for no recompense either. The Lord tells us that we are blessed when we make meals for those who cannot pay us back, those who cannot bring anything to the table but their handicaps. Have you invited anyone like that into your home lately? Someone who is too blind to notice your expensive possessions?  Someone who is too lame to keep up with the Joneses?  Someone who is too poor to cook as extravagantly as you? Someone who is too ignorant to appreciate a perfectly structured lifestyle? Someone whose life is so maimed by sin that you have decided you didn't want them seated at your table and in your presence?

In closing, I hope that needy people are at the top of our list of guests to invite into our homes.  If our motives are pure they will be.  And if our hearts are right, God will also see to it that we are adequately reimbursed for our loving sacrifices. You see, ladies, when we serve others from unselfish hearts, we are laying up for ourselves treasures in Heaven!  We will be rewarded one day...  In the meantime, allow God to change your focus from profit and loss to sacrifice and service, won't you? Let's forget about competing with one another and think more about how to complete each other.

When thou makest a dinner or a supper, prepare your attitude too! Remember that Christ is the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation... May what takes place in your home be pleasing and honoring to Him.

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello

Revised 2006