“Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:9
Etiquette expert Lizzie Post, who is the great-great-granddaughter of etiquette author Emily Post, has five rules for houseguests:
1. Be very clear about how long you’re staying for.
 Lizzie advises to be careful that you never to overstay your welcome. “Fish and houseguests stink after three days,” she said.
2. Play by the house rules.
 After you’ve arrived, remember to ask your host about the house rules—what time people tend to go to bed, if you need to know anything about their pets, whether you should take your shoes off in the house. While your host will likely tell you to make yourself at home, take that with a grain of salt.
3. Help out where you can.
 Offer to cook dinner or pay for groceries, do the dishes, and take out the trash. These are the little things your host will absolutely notice—and appreciate. At the end of your stay, be sure to triple-check the bedroom and bathroom for your belongings, and always strip the bed
A general rule of thumb: it should look like you were never there when you leave. “The best houseguests leave no trail,” she said.
4. Don’t be that needy person.
 Don’t expect your host to entertain you for your entire visit. If you’re staying for more than three days, call other friends who live in the area or do some exploring on your own. Again, you aren’t staying in a hotel, and your host shouldn’t be expected to be the concierge.
5. Say thank you (multiple times).
 Lizzie advises that a gift of some kind is 100 percent mandatory if you’re staying overnight in someone else’s home.
When in doubt, go with tasteful flowers. “Personally, I think a beautiful vase with some flowers in it is a great way to go,” she says. Not only should you bring a gift, but remember to thank your host multiple times. Three times is the rule: When you arrive, when you’re ready to leave, and once more after you’ve left with a thank you note.
When we are guests, we must be ever mindful not too be a burden to others. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for those who have the gift of hospitality and seek to be a good guest when visiting them.
“The good guest is almost invisible, enjoying him or herself, communing with fellow guests, and, most of all, enjoying the generous hospitality of the hosts” – Emily Post
God’s Word: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:7-8
By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail
DEVOTIONS IN 1 & 2 THESSALONIANS