The Power of Hospitality in Everyday Moments

Practicing hospitality toward others isn't always easy. Life gets busy, frustrations build, and we find ourselves laser-focused on our own agenda — often missing the people right in front of us. Recently, I was standing in line at Sam's Club making a return when I noticed the woman ahead of me was struggling. The employee helping her was growing frustrated too. The issue? A receipt locked inside an app that kept throwing an error message every time she tried to log in.

I stepped in quietly and offered to help. I became the calm go-between, working alongside the employee until we finally got the return processed. Afterward, I high-fived her and said, “Good job.” Her face lit up instantly.

It’s going to happen to all of us. We’re on a mission, in a hurry, and something goes sideways. But that day I was reminded that one small interruption — choosing hospitality over frustration — can shift the entire atmosphere of a moment.

We don’t have to be perfect. Frustration is human. But when we slow down and stay present, we discover something powerful: a little kindness goes a long way.

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*The Challenge: Who around you today might need that moment of calm in the middle of their chaos?*

Rick Cadden

Rick Cadden

Rick Cadden, CCA, CCBA, is a Certified Church Business Administrator with more than 30 years of leadership experience in hospitality services and church operations. He has served churches in a variety of executive and administrative roles and is a speaker at national and regional conferences.