Is hospitality lost?

I started thinking about this as I was driven home tonight. Is hospitality lost? I believe it is in some communities and areas in the world. Why is that? I know I always tend to throw in the word "busy" or "tired" when answering questions like these...but when I look closely I realize it is more so that I am self centered or lazy.

When I was a child we would travel all over America seeing people (usually friends and supporters of my missionary parents) and we would be invited to stay with people, pray for us, taken out to eat, some people would even buy us gifts. This hospitality, at least through the eyes of a child, was real and warm. I found that we would speak in churches and meet people we had never met before and God would prompt them to bless us. I remember bouncing from church to church speaking, ministering, and encouraging people and yet we were more often than not, greeted kindly.

Is this true today? Do churches open their doors to people they have never met? Do families invite a newcomer to eat with them, to play games, or to fellowship with them?

I was invited over for dinner tonight. One of my friends is a teacher at the school here in PNG and her son is in my class. We had a lovely meal and even played a game afterwards. On the way home I began to think of this question, "Is hospitality lost?". I am not quite convinced. The blessing and warmth a family brings to a single ladies heart is unexplainable. I have felt this warmth so many times since I have arrived in PNG and I pray that it will spread. We are a close knit community here and can be pretty certain that inviting a newcomer into your house is not a threat. But I pray this hospitality, that we are called to give to one another, will not show itself solely in times of safety and comfort but also in times when we see a need.

This family, through their hospitality, has challenged me to be more hospitable. How hard is it to have someone over, to bless them, and spend time getting to know some one new. Think of all they can teach you.

My conclusion: I don't think it is lost I just think we have neglected it for far too long.