Pain. It surrounded me. I was in a foreign country on a mission trip. But I was visited by an old nemesis—a migraine. My rescue medication failed. I shuddered in pain under a thin blanket trying to block out the light, praying desperately for the pain to dissipate. Occasionally, a cool hand graced my forehead, checking for a fever followed by a kiss and murmurs in Telegu that I did not understand. Often, in my delirium, my arms would lash out in defense at these touches only to quickly mumble, “sorry.” Later, I would discover that my nurse was a precious 15-year-old girl who had been abused throughout her life. And despite my pain-induced lashing, she continued to minister to me with patience and kindness. Her kindness brings tears to my eyes.

Throughout my time in India, hospitality from our hosts was both ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary in that we experienced it from all that we encountered but extraordinary in that the hospitality experienced is a far cry that what we normally experience stateside. Permit me to provide one more example: coffee.

Importantly, the coffee in the southern region of India is quite simply the best coffee. Having it with dear friends in India is even better. This is what I observed. Every greeting is joined by an offer of coffee. They often jokingly made sure to serve coffee in the American-sized coffee cups instead of the smaller, Indian-sized teacups. At the orphanage, the children spent time with us in the morning. When our coffee cups became empty, they took them to the kitchen or asked if we wanted a refill. They knew the importance of having enough coffee in the morning! If the women got up to prepare the coffee, the men hopped up to grab the mugs.

So why did this matter? Because coffee always matters. But it’s so much more than that. Hospitality is the cornerstone of saying, “I see you. You are valued. You are loved.” And that is what Jesus did (and does). His first miracle was providing wine at a wedding. (John 2:1-11) But he didn’t provide just any wine—he provided the best wine they had ever had! And we see him feeding people in miraculous ways. (Luke 9:10-17) He could have just as easily sent them away to eat at their homes.

How do we practice extraordinary hospitality like Jesus and my Indian friends? First, we observe. We look up from our phones, our distractions, our busy lives, and engage with the people around us. Second, we act intentionally. We hold the door. We offer the specific help (not how can we help but can we help in this way). We ask if we can pray—and then we do it! Finally, we recognize the heart posture may come later. The fruits of the spirit are just that—fruits—they are a product of growth from the Holy Spirit. Ask him to do the work in you. Ask him to give you a spirit of hospitality and he will. He will open your eyes to opportunities to show Christ’s love to others. For that is what we are commanded to do—Love our neighbors. Let’s do that in extraordinary ways and watch what Christ does with it.   

Tiffanie Limbrick is an attorney and mama to Josh. She is passionate about leading and empowering women both in and outside of the workplace. Tiffanie believes that every woman has the power to change the world, even if it’s just her little corner of the world. When Tiffanie is not running after Josh, you can catch her curled up on the couch reading a good book.