Book Review: Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt
It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for me to share what I’m reading this week. Over the last few weeks I’ve been sharing multiple books, but today I’m just talking about one. The book is Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt. It’s not newly published. It’s actually been out for a while. I’ve seen several people talking about it, and some have even said it changed their lives, and the way they view hospitality. Any book that gets that kind of review is one I need to read!
You might be a bit skeptical, and think this book can’t be life-changing, but I think it is. The subtitle of this book is, “How One Invitation Can Change a Generation.” As you read through these pages, you’ll see that it’s not just a nice-sounding slogan. It’s a real truth.
Before I read Just Open the Door, I equated hospitality with entertaining. But they aren’t the same. As Jen explains, entertaining focuses on you as the hostess, while hospitality focuses on your guests. When I read that, I started to think about times I’ve visited my friends’ homes. I have been invited to dinner when all the laundry is put away, the toys are in the toybox, the couch pillows are placed just-so.
I’ve also shown up on the spur-of-the-moment, when things we less-than-perfect. (Not purposely, which can be kind of rude. It just happened that way.) It didn’t bother me in the least. I almost felt more welcome in the slightly messy than I did in the perfection. Hospitality means welcoming people into our homes and lives, even when they aren’t perfect. The truth is, when I spend time with my friends, laughing, talking, and sharing, I barely notice the imperfections—if I notice at all!
I have always loved having people over. But I always seem to find a reason not to do it. We live too far away. Our house is too small. I can’t afford a nice meal. But honestly, those things don’t matter much at all. Opening the door may not even mean opening the literal door to my home, but the door to my life, and inviting someone else in.
As I read Jen’s stories about opening her home, about lives that were altered, friendships made (and even a husband found!), I began to consider my own life. How many times have I missed out on new relationships, and maybe lasting friendships because I haven’t been willing to just open the door? It’s opened my eyes to the many opportunities I have to reach out to others.
Jen talks about inviting friends over for an impromptu lunch, picnics with volleyball, one particular party that was altered by a tornado warning, neighborhood block parties, potlucks, and everything in between. I think we’ve messed up because we’ve allowed Pinterest and social media to make us think that if we don’t have perfect decorations, gorgeous, drool-worthy food, and the perfect atmosphere, we can’t have a good time.
But it isn’t true.
Here is one of my favorite points from this book: we model our hospitality after Jesus. And He never even owned a home. Yet, we see Him reaching into others’ lives constantly. We see intimate conversations on rooftops or around campfires. Teachable moments walking down the road. And the simplest food—things like bread, fish, corn and figs. Yet, He touched the lives of so many people.
Jen gives so many examples and great ideas for hospitality. From reaching out to moms at sports practices, to meeting your neighbors, to having dinner around the family table. Some of the ideas I’ve thought of, but others were new to me. I’m ready to start opening my door (figuratively and literally!) even when the situation may not be perfect. After all, if I wait until everything is perfect, I’ll probably never do it. I can’t wait to start testing her ideas!
Do you invite people to your home regularly? Do you want to, but just don’t feel like you can? Do you struggle with perfection, and feeling like you’ll never get your house clean enough, or your food yummy enough, or your décor pretty enough? Then you need to read this book, and see how one invitation really can change a generation.
You can get your copy here.
