“Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)
Not too far back, Wanda and I went to a restaurant. We had friends rave about the quality of the food and the fun evening that was spent there. So, we thought we would give it a try ourselves.
When we arrived, we weren’t sure just what door to use. When we got inside, there wasn’t a host to greet us and nobody seemed to be aware that we showed up. There was no sign about where to stand and wait or if we should seat ourselves. No servers looked at us and all the diners at the table were busy with their own conversations. After several awkward moments, we figured that nobody really wanted our business, so we left.
The restaurant might have had delicious food, but we never found out. The table service might have been wonderful, but we never got to a table. We were pretty much ignored, so we moved on. We probably will never go back.
Why do I mention this here? Because all of us connected with a church should always be thinking about those people that are not at the church, or not often at our church. When we come across someone we don’t know, or don’t know very well, it is up to us to extend a warm welcome, a smile, a handshake or a hello. We are the people that can show love and hospitality to others. By offering a warm welcome to others, we are making it clear that the community of believers is open and friendly and interested in widening the circle. We can show we are Christians by our love which can start with simply noticing someone and saying “Hello. I’m glad to see you. How are you, today?”
Funny how faith can be made real in such a small but meaningful way. So when you at the church or in the community, make the effort to offer a welcome to someone new.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Steve