Desiring Virtue

Guest Post by Julie Turner

“Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…” (1 Peter 4:9-10)

This is arguably one of the most well known passages on hospitality in scripture.  Perhaps it is for that reason, I tend to pass over it quickly and not really think about how to apply it in my own life. After all, I LOVE showing hospitality! You could say it comes naturally to me…

Coming from a large family, and being involved in our church, it seems like there is always an occasion to celebrate. I’m usually pretty quick to volunteer to co-host a shower, plan the next family get-together, or sign up to bring a meal to a new mom. I would never really consider myself to be a grumbler at the thought of having people in my home or doing any of those things.  But the more I think about this passage, the more I find that this “gift” of being hospitable is often a source of pride in my life.

It becomes a source of pride for me because, I can’t say “no.”

I’m quick to offer to help out with an event, and then, something else will pop up on the calendar. Before I know it my month is booked before it even starts and there’s no end in sight.  As the days leading up to each event approach, I overwhelm myself with my own expectations and allow these sorts of thoughts to come in:

“I signed up for this event, so I can’t back out now, they need me.” 

Instead of serving others joyfully as an outpouring of God’s varied grace, I am relying on myself, and my “gifts.”

“I can’t bring just some casserole to Thanksgiving, I always bring something new and creative, what will people think if I did something like that?”

Rather than being a good steward of what I have, I end up blowing the budget because I had to be “creative” and impress people.

“Is our place clean enough? I can’t have anyone thinking we live in filth.”

I stress myself out over having a perfectly clean home, making it difficult for me to relax and enjoy the evening once our guests arrive.

Encouragement comes for those who tend to think like I do, though, as we continue reading in 1 Peter 4:

“ …whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies–in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. “

Those of us who: rely on ourselves to accomplish a task, who set the expectations way too high (only to fail), who constantly worry about what others think–don’t need to.  By His grace, we can serve in His strength that His name may be glorified, not our own.  Ladies, if we can just get past ourselves, if we can only give ourselves grace then we can serve others joyfully and ultimately our lives will reflect Christ.

Isn’t that what hospitality is all about?

So, as we practice the humble act of hospitality, we may need to start by giving ourselves some grace.

Perhaps that means committing to fewer engagements so we don’t burn ourselves out.  By finally being able to say “no,” we may find it allows an opportunity for others to step up and serve.  My husband (often) encourages me with the phrase, “That sounds great, but think about what you can actually do in that amount of time.”

Maybe it means coupling a new recipe you found on Pinterest with an old stand-by so that you can be confident in what you’ve prepared for your guests, and still enjoy it alongside them!  Sometimes the things that take the least amount of preparation stand out the most.

We hosted my parents overnight a couple of weeks ago. Since this was a rare occasion, I wanted to give them the full bed and breakfast experience! We enjoyed a salad and a couple of different homemade pizzas for dinner. With those things being a little elaborate, my husband convinced me that I should scale back on what I planned to do for breakfast the next morning. (The man knows me well!) I’m so thankful he prompted me to do this, because it made our time with them so much more enjoyable!

I decided to bust out a pan of the Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls I had tucked away in the freezer weeks ago.  Just heat and serve they would be good to go! Alongside the cinnamon rolls was this no-fail, no-cook recipe that was just the creative touch I was looking for to round out the B&B weekend- A Breakfast Banana Split!

I asked each of this month’s contributors to share her tried and true recipe–the one she knows she can count on. Today, Julie is sharing her Breakfast Banana Split recipe with us! “This would also be a fun way to encourage your kids to eat a healthy breakfast! You can even set different fruits and other toppings out and let them make their own if you’re feeling adventurous!”-Julie

Julie’s Breakfast Banana Split Recipe

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Serves

1

Ingredients

• 1 Banana (Ripe, but firm)
• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons Jam (Any variety)
• 2 Tablespoons Pecans, Walnuts, or Almonds
• Fresh Berries or Cherries (For a garnish)

Directions

Step 1

Split the banana lengthwise and lay the two halves in a shallow bowl or small plate.

Step 2

Using an ice cream or cookie scoop, scoop out the yogurt and put it on top of the banana halves.

Step 3

Warm the jam (if desired) in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.

Step 4

Use a spoon to drizzle the jam over the yogurt, then sprinkle nuts and add fresh berries over the top. Enjoy!

Note

To take this recipe from delicious to amazing and to further bless your guests, you can use homemade jam and send them home with their own jar!

Recipe Adapted from The Kitchn

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Julie enjoys getting creative in the kitchen and is known by her friends and family as a genuine foodie. She and her husband James live just outside of Dallas, Texas where they share a passion for serving others through their local church. She has shared here at Desiring Virtue before and you can find her posts on food and hospitality here.