Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness

Verner debuts with an impassioned plea for people to open their doors and invite neighbors and strangers into their homes and lives. In an age when political leaders seek to build walls, she writes, it is necessary to reinforce the common, human bonds of community. Verner declares hospitality both a habit and a command, as it’s a theme and practice found throughout the Bible. Throughout, she draws from her own life, as a host for international students, a teacher in Chicago schools, a wife and mother who moved with her family across the country and had to learn to be at home in a new place, and as a Christian who was routinely a recipient of great hospitality during the five years she spent working in China. Hospitality, she maintains, is not about “Instagrammable” perfection but about displaying vulnerability and satisfying hunger for community. Helpful supplemental material includes discussion questions, a short reading list, and tips for practices of welcome. Verner’s persuasive message to “become a good neighbor” will appeal to Christians and general readers alike. (Aug.)