Hospitality without grumbling

Peter says to practice hospitality without complaining/grumbling. How often do you want to serve others but you find yourselves grumbling in the service of others? I am not saying that as though I have never grumbled as I have served. It is common. Therefore Peter encourages us to serve without grumbling. Peter says they are to show hospitality without grumbling. [The Greek word] means to express discontent, grumble or complain. So hospitality is intended to be a reflection of the grace that we have received through Jesus Christ and through the love of Christ. And we are to demonstrate that unto strangers and unto those that are a part of the church as a way to show that we have received grace. And when we grumble or complain or express discontentment, we are not just grumbling against others, but we are grumbling against the very grace of God. We are grumbling against the love of Christ. This may be why Peter bookends this command with, Keep loving one another (1 Peter 4:8) and serve one another (1 Peter 4:10). Hospitality is about loving one another with our service, and it is a reflection of the love that Christ has demonstrated towards us when we were lost in sin.¹

Nathan Eshelman