My second strength: HOSPITALITY. This is a hard one for me to put out there. I’ve taken the spiritual gifts survey several times throughout my adult life. And each time one of my strongest spiritual gifts was hospitality. This has been a bit confusing to me.
I’m a self proclaimed recluse, also known as an introvert. Sometimes it surprises people who have met me in a social situation to hear this because I’m really good at hiding it. I guess that’s probably from the help of my spiritual gift of hospitality. My happiest state is at home, with a day full of things to tackle on my “to do” list, and NO ONE to talk to.
BUT, none the less the test keeps telling me I’m hospitable. Rather than call it hospitable (because frankly I can think of many times I have failed at this word) I would say I have a heart to make others feel they belong. I know all too well what it feels like to walk into a situation and feel you don’t belong, that everyone knows each other and you don’t. I know what it’s like to feel misplaced or scared of saying the wrong thing. And so I aim to include others when I can. I want people to leave a conversation with me feeling heard, understood and comfortable.
Sometimes my own social anxiety gets in the way of this. Sometimes I’m having a bad day. Sometimes I miss seeing the person who needs to be heard. But in my best moments I strive to find a place for all who feel they don’t belong.
