When we have guests in our home, we always try to have everything neat and clean, don’t we? We are sometimes too conscientious about what others will think when they come into our homes. We try to vacuum and straighten up as best as we can. Making a good impression is important to most of us in regards to good hospitality. I know personally, I get a little obsessive about it. With all that said, ask yourself, when someone walks into your home and looks around, can they see God?
When asking this question, I am not just talking about the wall hangings with religious wording on them or the Bible that sits on your coffee table, even though those are nice additions. I am talking about so much more. I am talking about things such as what is being taught in your home or what entertainment is being shown on your TV, iPad, or computer? Do you have daily devotionals or prayer time with the family? Do you pray before meals? At the basis of our homes, the Word of God should be placed. Proverbs 24:3-4 says, “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Our homes need to be so much more than just a roof over our heads; it should be where a foundation can be built for strong Christian lives.
Outside the four walls of our homes is a world that will stop at nothing to take you away from God. There is so much in the world that tries to compete with Godly living. In other words, look around. Is your home filled with movies, magazines, and books that do not glorify God? Can you memorize the lines to your favorite movie or song, but hardly know any scripture? In your conversations, does filthy language come out of your mouth? Parents, what is being done to nurture your children in the Lord? If we allow our children’s minds to be filled with worldly things, they can become conformed to this old world. In Romans 12:2, we are warned to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
There is a poem that I have read before that really puts things in perspective. The author is unknown, but it asks a great question?
“If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two.
If he came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do.Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honored Guest,
And all the food you’d serve to Him would be the very best,And you keep assuring Him you’re glad to have Him there
That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor?Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn’t heard?
And wish you hadn’t uttered that last, loud, hasty word?Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?And I wonder if the Savior spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read,
And let him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you’d planned to go?
Or would you, maybe, change your plans for just a day or so?Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they’d stay away until His visit ends?Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?It might be interesting to know the things that you would do?
If Jesus Christ in person came to spend some time with you.”
When someone comes to visit, maybe your house is large with high ceilings and wood floors. Maybe it’s a tiny apartment with a futon. Maybe it’s a one-story house with toys and laundry all over the floors and dishes in the sink. Whatever your house looks like, it should be a place that honors God, and your guests should see it. When people come to your home, do they see God or do they see the world?