The Christmas story begins with a simple yet powerful moment. A young couple traveled far from home, searching for a place to stay, only to find every door closed. There was no room at the inn, no quiet corner to rest, and no warm space prepared for the birth of a Savior. Yet God used that moment to teach a timeless lesson. Hospitality changes everything. When someone creates space for another person, even in a small or unexpected place, lives are transformed. Today, the call to Making Room at the Inn speaks just as clearly as it did more than two thousand years ago.
The idea of making room is more than a historical detail. It is a call to action for those who want to follow Christ in a world that often feels rushed, crowded, and self-focused. Bryan Scott McMillan often talks about how meaningful it is to open your life and heart to others, especially during the holidays. That spirit of hospitality is not just about offering a physical place to stay. It is about creating a life where people feel safe, seen, and welcomed.
A Season Filled With Closed Doors
Modern life is full of closed doors, often without us realizing it. People keep busy schedules, families get caught up in routines, and communities grow disconnected. We may live in neighborhoods where we barely know those around us, while many individuals carry private burdens with no one to share them with. It is easy to move through December focused only on our own plans and overlook that others may be quietly praying for someone to notice. In these moments, Making Room at the Inn becomes a powerful reminder to create space for connection and compassion.
The original story of Mary and Joseph is a reminder that people in need do not always show up at convenient times. They may appear when our day is full or when our calendar is already packed. They may look like friends going through a crisis, strangers carrying loneliness, or families searching for hope. When we recognize these moments as opportunities for hospitality, we begin to understand the heart of Christmas in a deeper way.
What It Means to Open the Door?
Hospitality is not limited to opening your home, though that can be a beautiful expression of love. True hospitality begins with opening your heart. It takes courage to notice the needs of others and a willingness to let God interrupt your plans. When we open our hearts to people, we affirm that they belong and that their presence matters. In many ways, this is the essence of Making Room at the Inn.
Christ modeled this kind of hospitality throughout His life. He welcomed the overlooked, the hurting, the misunderstood, and the broken. He made room for people who had been pushed aside by society. He saw value in every person He met. When we open our lives in similar ways, we reflect His character and create moments where His love becomes visible.
Small Spaces Can Hold Big BlessingsÂ
One of the most beautiful parts of the Christmas story is that Christ entered the world in a place no one expected. The stable was not grand or impressive. It was simple and humble. Yet God used it as the setting for the most significant moment in history. This truth reminds us that our own acts of hospitality do not need to be perfect or polished. Even small spaces can hold big blessings.Â
A small invitation can change someone’s day. A simple meal can comfort a grieving family. A short conversation can lift someone’s spirit. A quiet prayer can encourage a heart weighed down by fear. These gestures may seem small, but they create room where God can work. Bryan Scott McMillan has shared how he has seen lives change when people open their hearts through kindness and compassion. Hospitality does not require perfection. It simply requires willingness.
Making Room in a Busy Season
December can be one of the busiest months of the year. The calendar quickly fills with events, travel, and traditions, and it can feel as though we have no room left to give. Yet Making Room at the Inn does not always mean adding something new. Sometimes it means shifting our attention, sometimes it means slowing down, and sometimes it simply means being fully present with the people right in front of us.
Making room can be as simple as inviting someone who may feel alone to share a meal. It can be checking in on a neighbor or sitting with a friend who is struggling. It can be offering encouragement, sharing a moment of prayer, or giving your time to a family in need. When we intentionally choose these moments, we reclaim what the season is truly about.
Opening Your Life to God’s Work
Hospitality is not only about how we treat others. It is also about how we welcome God into our own lives. When we make room for Christ in December, we allow Him to shape our thoughts, guide our choices, and soften our hearts. This is what transforms the season from a holiday into a spiritual renewal.
Creating this kind of space can be simple. It might mean beginning the morning with gratitude or ending the day with reflection. It might look like reading Scripture, spending quiet moments in prayer, or joining a Christmas service that helps you reconnect with the meaning of the season. These moments allow Christ to occupy the center of our lives rather than the edges.
When Hospitality Requires Courage?
It is important to acknowledge that hospitality is not always easy. Opening your life to others can feel risky, and you may worry about being misunderstood, taken advantage of, or stretched too thin. Yet courage is part of the calling. Making Room at the Inn reminds us to trust that God can use what we offer, even when it feels small or imperfect.
The first Christmas teaches us that meaningful hospitality is often inconvenient. It asks us to look past our comfort and into the needs of those around us. It asks us to act with compassion even when we are tired. It asks us to give even when it feels costly. Yet every act of hospitality plants a seed of hope in someone else’s life.
A Christmas Worth Remembering
At its core, making room at the inn is about remembering that Christ made room for us. He invited us into grace, forgiveness, and a relationship that continues to transform our lives. When we open our hearts to others, we reflect the same love He offered freely. We become part of the story He began in a small stable long ago.
Hospitality brings meaning back to Christmas. It fills the season with purpose, connection, and faith. It allows us to experience December in a way that honors God and blesses others. When we choose to make room, we create a life that feels richer and more aligned with the heart of Christ. And when this becomes our rhythm, Christmas becomes more than a holiday. It becomes a way of living.
