Christian Hospitality and Social Justice: Are They Linked?

You may not be able to start a nonprofit, but you can bring Nutella to someone (Dr. Anthony Bradley).

You don't have to fly to Africa to fight for social justice. You can do it right now in your office, on your campus and at home.

Just by bringing someone Nutella?

Yep.

I'll explain the Nutella part soon—but let me first say I attended a lecture a few years ago I'll never forget.

Dr. Anthony Bradley's talk "On Love, Social Justice, Hospitality and Nutella" at the 2015 Jubilee Conference is one that I found so simple yet so inspiring, and I want to share it with you.

Dr. Bradley's message was that you don't have to wait to retire to start that nonprofit you always wanted to start, or until you graduate to join the Peace Corps. Justice is local and you can start fighting for it right now.

Social justice is as simple as loving your neighbor as you love yourself (Mark 12:31). Simple, yes. Easy to do, maybe not. Let's take a look at applying (or obeying) the second greatest commandment.

What's Stopping Us from Pursuing Social Justice?

I've heard people say our world is becoming less hospitable. We no longer open our doors to the sojourner. We are less trusting of people today, and we are more concerned about protecting ourselves. Dr. Bradley suggests it's the fear of being vulnerable that's stopping us from truly loving our neighbor.

Stepping into the messiness of other people's lives is a very vulnerable act, and being vulnerable can be extremely uncomfortable. We risk rejection of our efforts, which might hurt us. Dr. Bradley calls this kind of vulnerability with others hospitality.

Hospitality in the Bible

When I think of hospitality, I think of hosting a fancy dinner party for my friends, or letting my cousin stay with me when she's in town. But in the Bible, hospitality is often in reference to strangers, and it's about much more than hosting dinner parties.

Matthew 25:35-37 says,

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.

Biblical hospitality is giving someone what they need, not just physically, but also relationally.

Hospitality is not just offering a home-cooked meal to a friend; it's offering our friendship to a stranger.

It's not just inviting a stranger into our home, but into our lives.

Jesus is the ultimate example of hospitality. He made himself vulnerable to invite us in, freeing us to be vulnerable with others.

To truly be hospitable means to offer ourselves—our friendship, our time, our gifts and our resources—and to risk getting hurt in the process.

Fight for Social Justice with Hospitality

One way Dr. Bradley says we can fight for social justice with hospitality is by being in relationship with people who are different from us.

Intentionally stepping into the life of someone you might not have become friends with naturally might feel uncomfortable, and it might not be that much fun. But hospitality is rarely comfortable or convenient.

At SheReadsTruth.com, Rebecca Faires writes,

Hospitality is uncomfortable. [...] Do you feel totally content with your two or three great friends, and just don't need to reach out to every crazy lady you meet? The trouble is, I am that crazy lady. And so are you. We are all on the margins sometimes. This is the heart of hospitality: finding people on the margins and bringing them in.

I'm sure you can relate to being that person on the margins too. We all know what it's like to be "the new kid" at some point or another.

When we bring those on the margins into community, they are known and their needs are known. Hospitality is making sure no one's needs—spiritually, relationally or physically—are left unmet.

Where Do I Start?

The next time someone pops in your head—whether it's a friend, a coworker, an acquaintance, or even someone you hardly know—consider that maybe God is asking you to pray for that person, send them a text to see how their day is going, ask them to lunch, give them a hug or offer them a ride to the grocery store.

Fight for social justice in your community by spending time with someone you wouldn't normally spend time with; someone different from you, someone who is disconnected from community or someone who is suffering. Learn about their life and who they are.

Dr. Bradley says you can even be hospitable by just bringing them a jar of Nutella, because who wouldn't be happy with a jar of hazelnut chocolate spread?

This article is copied with permission from the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics (www.tifwe.org). The original article appeared here. IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society. Visit https://tifwe.org/subscribe to subscribe to the free IFWE Daily Blog.