5 Biblical Women Who Modeled Godly Hospitality

During David’s days of fleeing the murderous intentions of King Saul, he lived in various places in the wilderness. At one point during his time in the wild, he and his men protected the servants and shepherds of Nabal, a wealthy man and owner of a substantial number of sheep and goats. David and his men had no specific reason to serve the shepherds in this way, treating them fairly and guarding them at night. They had acted in kindness – treating others the way they would want to be treated.

Yet, when David sent his men to Nabal, requesting provisions for the festive season, Nabal responded unkindly. He claimed he knew nothing of David and angrily questioned why he should share his provisions with strangers. Such indignation did not come from a lack of supplies, for he later held a lavish banquet (1 Samuel 25:36). Nabal was merely an inhospitable man. As Scripture says, “[he] was surly and mean in his dealings,” and his name meant “Fool” (1 Samuel 25:3, 25).

Because of Nabal’s cruel refusal to help, David angrily desired vengeance and acted rashly. His men planned to attack Nabal and his household, repaying back the evil shown to them.

In contrast to Nabal, his wife, Abigail, modeled godly hospitality. Where he had refused to provide food and drink, she offered ample provisions for David and his men (1 Samuel 25:18). Where Nabal had insulted, she honored David (1 Samual 25:28-29). Where he had spitefully turned away strangers, she welcomed them (1 Samuel 25:27). Abigail wanted to avert the danger to her household, yes, but she also sought the good of David.

By interceding and formally welcoming the future king of Israel, she prevented David from becoming guilty of murder and sullying his conscience, which would have weighed heavily on him during his reign as God’s chosen ruler (1 Samuel 25:30-31). She took the risk of angering her husband and meeting a vengeful mob to do what was right. And God blessed her wise actions, repaying the evil of Nabal in His timing (1 Samuel 25:37-38).

Sometimes our welcome of others can transform a tense situation and radically change a person’s perspective. We must be ready to respond with a wise welcome like Abigail.

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A woman in Shunem regularly invited Elisha into her home. Scripture informs us that she was a person of prominence and wealth, though she was unable to have children – which, for a woman of that culture, was a grief to carry. However, she insisted on Elisha staying in her house and eventually decided to set up a room on the roof so that the prophet could have a place to stay whenever he traveled through the area (see 2 Kings 4:9-10). She knew that Elisha was a man of God and held deep respect for him. Inviting him into her home was a way to serve this holy man in honor of his work. In return for her kindness, Elisha told the woman that she would soon have a son.

Highlighted in the account is the woman’s decision and initiative to show hospitality to the prophet. Her husband is only mentioned briefly, so we can’t know whether he held the same enthusiasm for Elisha’s visits. He clearly was not the one inviting the man of God into their house. When the Shunammite woman sought the prophet after her son died (the one Elisha had prophesied about), her husband expressed confusion: “Why do you want to go to him today? It isn’t the New Moon or the Sabbath day” (2 Kings 4:23). For him, the prophet’s visits were designated as religious days and, thus, divorced from everyday life.

We also do not know how the surrounding community reacted to the Shunammite woman’s hospitality to Elisha. Based on the larger teaching of Scripture, genuine prophets from the Lord were usually not well-received. They were often hated and persecuted for their service to God (see Matthew 23:37). This woman’s welcome of the man of God made her stand out among those who were hostile to the prophet.

Elisha responded in goodwill to the Shunammite woman’s kindness. He prophesied that she would have a son, someone to care for her long after her older husband passed away (2 Kings 4:14-17). And when her promised son died and she went to the prophet, he expressed genuine concern for her family’s wellbeing. He went back with her and prayed to the Lord for the boy. Through the power of God, her son was resurrected, and she received him back with joy (2 Kings 4:27-37).

Followers of the Lord do not welcome others with the intention of being paid back, for as Jesus said, then we would already receive our reward (Luke 14:12). The Shunammite woman certainly did not expect to receive special favors or miracles when she invited Elisha for a meal and to stay as a guest in her household. Yet, like her, we may be surprised at the blessings we receive when we gladly welcome strangers (see Hebrews 13:2).

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When Gabriel appeared and announced the birth of the Messiah to Mary, she heard a message that was surprising: she, a virgin, would conceive and give birth. Wonder upon wonder, she heard the news with amazement and agreed to God’s good plan.

We often think of the annunciation as an Advent reading, or sometimes as a lesson in the need for joyful obedience. However, the events surrounding the annunciation have much to teach us about hospitality. For on that day, Mary willingly gave herself as an instrument for the purposes of God (Luke 1:38). She welcomed the work of the Holy Spirit as her womb became the temporary home of the Son of God and He grew in preparation for birth. Mary, the mother of Jesus, exemplified a spirt of godly hospitality.

Like the other women we have considered throughout Scripture, Mary’s decision to embrace God’s plan for her came with risk. As a virgin who was promised in marriage to Joseph, her pregnancy would have been looked upon with suspicion. Had she betrayed the trust of her husband-to-be? Had she committed adultery? Mary would have been vulnerable to ridicule and shame as her community noticed the ever-increasing swelling belly and formed opinions about it.

God had declared a blessing on Mary, though, naming her as a woman who was “highly favored,” as Gabriel had said (Luke 1:28). Inspired by the Lord’s gift of salvation, she had praised Him and acknowledged His goodness in what is famously known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Yes, there would be hardship in her obedience, but she welcomed God’s plan regardless of the consequences. As she said, “[M]y spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:47-48).

Hospitality is not just about having a space to welcome others in; it is about the spirit in which we do so. Kindness, a willingness to truly see and acknowledge the other person, an attitude of gracious welcome, and being unafraid of what others may think in our radical offering of resources are hallmarks of hospitality. Today, we name Mary as blessed because she received the privilege of bearing the Son of God, the Messiah, into the world. May our attitude be like that of Mary who assented to God’s will despite the risk.

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Martha often comes quickly to mind as the sister who was more practical and focused on matters of hospitality. She had food to make and preparations to complete – all normal parts of entertaining that we continue to associate with welcoming others into our homes. However, the response of both sisters to Jesus’ visit gives us a more complete view of what it means to be hospitable. We need both Martha and Mary’s example to understand what it means to welcome another.

Although Martha did not properly prioritize the Lord during His visit, she had not been wrong in wanting to serve Jesus. He did not rebuke her for wanting to provide Him with a delicious meal and a comfortable place for eating. Rather, He reminded her that her priorities were misplaced (Luke 10:40-42).

Like Martha, we can get so tangled in the details of housekeeping and meal making that we forget what it truly means to show hospitality – welcoming others as we would Christ. Are we prioritizing those we invite into our lives, or are we hyper-focused on getting a checklist done? Our focus when welcoming others should be on the person.

In contrast to Martha’s practicality, Mary’s response is not usually associated with hospitality. We often think of her as the more reflective and spiritually thoughtful sister. However, her choice to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn from Him models a spirit of welcome (Luke 10:39). She was attentive to the Lord, fully focusing on Him during His visit, even when that meant not helping Martha with the meal preparations. As Jesus said, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

In our efforts to engage in the holy work of hospitality, then, let us cook the food, set the table, and prepare our homes all while keeping a proper heart posture of welcoming others as we would Christ. If we knew Jesus was visiting us, we would want to give our complete attention to Him – not on whether our menu was perfect. May we learn from Martha and Mary and keep first things first by prioritizing those we are serving, as a reflection of our love for the Lord.

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Those who have experienced the kindness and loving welcome of the Lord are those who should be the most hospitable. For the Lord has mercifully made a way for us to have a restored relationship with Him so that we are no longer sinners separated from the One for whom we were made. A heart for hospitality starts with a keen understanding of God’s welcome of us. We find this truth exemplified in Lydia’s story in the New Testament.

When the Apostle Paul traveled to Phillipi to share the good news, he met a group of women who had gathered on the Sabbath to pray (Acts 16:13). This mix of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles had undoubtedly gathered there since there was no synagogue in the city. Among those present at the meeting was Lydia of Thyatira, a wealthy woman who worked as a seller of purple dyed cloth.

She heard the gospel from Paul and the Lord opened her heart to receive the message with joy (see Acts 16:14). As a result of this gracious act of God, Lydia shared the good news with her household and opened her home to the Apostle and his fellow workers. God had opened her heart. As a result, she could not help but open her house and resources for the sake of supporting the work of the gospel.

Hospitality continued to mark her days, since she also offered her home as a gathering place for the church (Acts 16:40). Paul and Silas visited Lydia’s house again after being released from the Philippian prison to encourage the church. Although she is not specifically mentioned in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, Lydia likely continued to use her house and other resources to serve her brothers and sisters in Christ and to support the work of the gospel.

If we are struggling to understand the mindset and method of showing hospitality to others, then reading Lydia’s story can reorient our perspective. Welcoming others does not require elaborate preparations or wealth, but a gratefulness for God’s great grace.

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