During the US civil rights movement, famed New Orleans cook Leah Chase did what she could. She prepared food and fed those who were marching for equal rights for all people. She said, “I was just feeding people. They were fighting for something, and they didn’t know what they would find when they went out there. They didn’t know what would happen to them on the streets. But when they were here, they knew I’d feed them. That’s what I could do for them.”

The gift of hospitality may sometimes be overlooked, but it can be just as important as other forms of serving one another in Christ. A businesswoman named Lydia—“a dealer in purple cloth” (Acts 16:14)—showed hospitality to Paul and the other preachers spreading the good news about Jesus to the people of Macedonia (vv. 11-15). She used what she had—her home—to help the traveling team. After accepting the gospel message, Lydia insisted on providing a place for the preachers to rest, saying, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, . . . come and stay at my house” (v. 15). Much like the civil rights workers, Paul and his coworkers didn’t need to worry about a meal due to Lydia’s hospitality.

Gifts of hospitality can go a long way in helping all people—both fellow believers and those who still need Jesus. Let’s serve others as God provides what we need to help them.