After the brunch earlier this month, I talked with a few women who shared their negative experiences at their tables. And not just at this brunch, but at others in the past. One woman said, “I brought a friend and not one person at our table said hello or introduced themselves.” Another shared about a woman at her table who dominated the  conversation, never giving anyone else a chance to interact. There were two women, none at the table knew, who never even got a hello.  One other confided that three women at her table critized what CLEAR is and isn’t doing the entire morning all the while a woman who’d never attended sat there and listened. I was surprised these things would happen at a CLEAR event, NOT! At an event filled with women, of course there’s going to be some interesting situations. We’re still learning to be kind and accepting of one another and to think outside ourselves.

I know these things happen amongst women, because at one point in my life this was my game. I was the queen of sizing up another woman and deciding right there and then whether or not I’d welcome her into my presence! From that point on, I’d either chat it up with the woman or I was aloof and distant. I also loved to look on while others did their thing making comments on how I would do this or that and how much better it would be. I hurt so many women in my life with my behavior, co-workers, family members, neighbors.

In thinking and praying about how we change this within CLEAR, I thought of some of the passages in the Bible that talk about hospitality. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need, practice hospitality – Romans 12:13; Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers… – Hebrews 13:2; Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling – 1 Peter 4:9; We ought therefore show hospitality to such people… – 3 John 1:8.

Thank goodness there’s a flipside to the negative experiences. At the last brunch, I noticed two very good friends sitting at separate tables. I knew what they were doing without having talked to either one. These two women intentionally made the decision to mingle and meet new women. A woman at the table where the conversation was dominated by the one went to the two newcomers after the brunch and introduced herself.

Women, we’ve got to do it. We’ve got to show hospitality. I know we’re not all wired up the same way, some of us are shy, some of us love meeting people and some of us share too much. But for those of us who follow Jesus, the Bible’s pretty clear on how we should respond to those with whom we rub shoulders. It’s the better way. We all want to be known, loved and accepted. So I’m throwing out the challenge to all of us to be hospitable, and not just at a CLEAR brunch once a quarter, but in all situations.