I have grown to love public speaking. Staring out at faces and trying to communicate is exhilarating. However, put me in front of a camera, staring into nothingness, and I flounder. So when a foundation that supports HOPE’s work invited me to participate in a video series they were recording in Chattanooga, TN, a few months ago, I was equal parts honored and anxious.

Ahead of my arrival, the team from the recording studio, SociallyU, scheduled an introductory call. In addition to going over logistics, they used the time to get to know me, asking about my taste in music and thoughtfully inquiring about any lunch preferences for our time together. Wanting to be a low-maintenance guest, I told them I’d eat anything. My response was truthful—my global travels have taught me to enjoy virtually any type of food—but the SociallyU team wasn’t satisfied with my reply. As they continued to press for a favorite food, I responded lightheartedly, “Chilean sea bass!” before hurrying to add that any sort of sandwich would be great.

When I pulled into SociallyU’s parking lot a few weeks later, I was surprised to see my name above a reserved parking spot. Walking into their studio, I was even more surprised to hear a familiar song from one of the bands I’d mentioned on our call playing overhead. I smiled at this totally unnecessary, but not unnoticed, kindness. Already I was feeling more at ease. Later in the day when lunch arrived, I could not believe I was looking at Chilean sea bass. My mouth dropped open. “You didn’t!” I protested. I was blown away.

SociallyU’s team went far above and beyond every expectation to extend ridiculous hospitality to me. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. The fact is, extravagant kindness makes us sit up and take notice; it’s memorable and contagious.

All four gospels recount a story of extravagant hospitality and kindness bestowed on Jesus at a dinner party (Matthew 26:6–13, Mark 14:3–9, Luke 7:36–50, John 12:1–8). Scholars debate whether this was the same incident retold from different perspectives or multiple occasions with different followers lavishing love on Jesus, but the underlying premise of each account is the same. While Jesus is seated at the table, a woman poured out an entire jar of expensive perfume, anointing His head and feet. From the disciples’ reactions, we can conclude this was no ordinary act of hospitality. Perhaps a drop or two would have been courteous, but the whole bottle? The disciples would have preferred moderation to this extravagance. They called it a waste—but that wasn’t how Jesus saw it.

Jesus told the woman that her extravagant kindness would be remembered always. “Wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her,” He said.

What if more followers of Christ came to be known and remembered for the way we showed ridiculous, above-and-beyond, lavish love and kindness?

Since my experience at SociallyU, I’ve found myself looking for ways to share their spirit of radical hospitality. After receiving that kind of extraordinary care, I’ve wanted to extend it to others. Even more fundamentally, may we remember there’s nothing moderate about the love and kindness we’ve received from God. May Christ’s followers regularly extend immoderate, extravagant love and kindness—the kind we’ve been given and the kind that will be remembered far longer than our names.