I love the story of a conservative little church that had an unexpected visitor. A disheveled young man...who obviously was not savvy in church "protocol" walked into the little church, down the middle isle, and seeing all of the pews full, he walked all the way to the front of the church and sat down on the floor with his legs crossed, ready to hear God's Word preached.
Every eye was on him. There was whispering.....who is this "unkempt" man? Does he really belong HERE? ....and so the whispering continued, until.............
One of the older deacons of the church, walked down the middle isle toward this young man who did not seem to notice that all eyes were upon him. The congregation wondered just what this older deacon would say to this man who didn't "belong". You could have heard a pin drop.....
When the deacon reached the front of the church, and bent over, everyone assumed he was going to ask this uninvited guest to leave, but he didn't!
He patted the young man on the back, smiled at him, and then carefully inched his way onto the floor and sat down beside him.............the service continued.
What a lesson that congregation learned.
Where is the ONE place we should ALL belong? The young, the old, the unkempt, the rich, the poor, the person who knows "all" the rules, the person who just stepped foot in a church for the first time in his life....the beautiful, the angry, the sinner..........us all!
I've been in many a church through my almost 55 years of life. I know the "lingo", and I speak "Christianese". I have read the Bible through, cover to cover at least 30 times, I have been in more Bible studies than I can count. I have taught Sunday School, VBS, sung in choirs, worked in the nursery..... I know when to wear a dress, how to behave in church, and I know where each Bible verse is that the pastor asks us to look up.
However..........do I belong in church more than someone who might come to church in pants a little dirty, or too tight, or too short? What about someone who doesn't know ANY of the old hymns? What about the family who comes in and they are a little "rough around the edges"? They just don't "match" the "rest of us"? Do I belong more than they?
The following verses ALL state that God does NOT show favoritism: Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11, Galatians 2:6 and 6:9, & Colossians 3:25. James chapter 2 tells us that Christians are not to show favoritism, and for us, it is sin.
Jesus said he came to seek and save the lost. He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
He ate with the "sinners and tax collectors". He loved on the little children. He conversed with the Samaritan woman. He touched the lepers. He loved and fellowshipped with "regular folk". The ones who didn't know all of the rules, and maybe even the ones that other believers would "shun".
Think about your fellowship at church.....just for a moment. Who do you say "hi" to on Sunday morning? Who do you gravitate to? The people you know well, perhaps someone you spiritually look up to? Others who have kids your kids age? People just like you? There's nothing wrong with that.....but are you willing to EXPAND your circle a little bit?
I invite you to take a look around you the next time you go to church. Really SEE people. Church is where people meet JESUS! It's where they go to experience God, "with skin on". What about that family who comes in, and their kids look like they didn't get their hair combed, and maybe they still have breakfast on their face. The mom looks like she didn't have time to find something to wear that is "church-like" and maybe she is wearing a dress that's just a little too short, and the husband doesn't even really know why he came. He's skeptical, ....as a family, they just want to find a place to belong, and they NEED Jesus!
Will you speak to THEM? Will you seek them out as you look around the church with open eyes and allow the love of Jesus to flow out of you to anyone God places in your path?
Guess what....no matter the size of the church, people come from different backgrounds. Each one is at a different place in their spiritual journey. Some may be desperate....to save their marriage, to deal with struggling teens, or a handicapped child. Some may have lost their job and their home, and their hope. They need THEE HOPE!
When a new couple shows up in your Sunday School class, and they don't really fit in the same mold as those of you who have grown up in the church. They need some Christian families to learn from. They need a disciple to show them how to walk the walk, and how to study God's Word.
Will you take a few minutes before church this Sunday to ask God what role he wants you to play in loving someone to Jesus?
Church is where Christians worship and fellowship together. It's where we go to learn from each other, study God's word, sing praises, and pray ....where two or more are gathered together God is in the midst of them.......... It's also where those who want to know Jesus may wander in, or be invited in. They're hesitant, they're spiritually hungry.....they just need a hug.
Will you take just a moment, as you walk into church this week to see people through Jesus' eyes? Will you consider giving a hug to someone God brings in your path? Will you shake hands with someone you don't know this week? Will you strive to be a little more patient with someone in your Sunday School class that may not be as far down the spiritual road as you are?
I remember, one time, I misjudged someone. God called me on it.
There was a young family that came to our church, and if you saw them any other day of the week, you'd never know they went to church. They cursed, they smoked, they drank, they yelled too much, she wore her pants too tight, and he wasn't a very loving husband. I judged them. I made my assumptions. God wasn't happy with me. It was HIM who sent them to our church.
Then, He gave me a glimpse into their world. I don't remember whether they had a baby, or whether someone had surgery, but I was to take a meal to their house. I love doing that sort of thing, so I had no trouble with it.
I packed up my kids and we took a meal.
They didn't grow up in the church, and they didn't know people in church took meals and prayed for each other. She cried. She had had a difficult life. Their marriage was struggling, and he didn't want to go to church, but she wanted more for her family. She was grateful....a simple meal, a prayer, a listening ear. She came back to church again.....later, she and her husband gave their hearts to Jesus. Slowly, ever so slowly, Jesus transformed them, from the inside out. They didn't try to put on airs to impress, they just wanted to be like Jesus.
My heart was forever changed.
I always wanted to be a missionary. Our little church had a missions week every year and the church supported missionaries were flown in, and families in the church hosted them for missions week. Our family always "got one"!!! My two closest friends and I would encourage our parents to hurry up and get our names in so that all the missionaries wouldn't be taken by someone else! Our parents taught us to look outside of ourselves. I remember looking at all of the missionary's "slides"....that's how we looked at pictures back then. I dreamt of when I could be a missionary and go to a far away land.
I thought MISSIONS was ONLY in other countries.
I was wrong!
I AM a missionary right now.....every day. To the co-workers or employees at work who just rub "me" the wrong way, and who don't know Jesus. To the neighbors on my street....yes, even the ones that make life miserable when their dog barks all night or poops on my grass and they don't clean it up.
I am a missionary when I go to church each week.
In a church as large as mine, I'm certain that there are more than just a few who come in each week, that don't know Jesus, and they are desperately seeking Him.
I'm a missionary to anyone God lays on my heart, puts in my path, or sits next to me in Sunday School or church.
I challenge you to do an "attitude check". Why do you go to church? Why does Jesus want you to go to church? Do you show partiality? Are you a little bit to quick to make assumptions or a judgment?
Will you love, and serve, and smile, and consciously strive to be Jesus "with skin on" wherever you go, but ESPECIALLY at church?
It's a new day......His mercies are new EVERY morning! Great is His faithfulness!
Go.....serve......love......give.....!
Pam
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