Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
5 Hospitable Spurs for Sunday Mornings (or Saturday Evenings):
1. Take a deep breath. That's right...in through your nose, out through your mouth. In the car. Before you step into the parking lot or set foot on the church sidewalk. Just take a deep breath. The moments leading up to arrival at church can be and often are stressful. It's rush, rush, rush to get everyone ready and out-the-door on time. I think the enemy would like nothing more than to use our Sunday-morning fluster to keep us from being able to display God's kindness to others. So, I'm trying to practice leaving it in the car. I'm not promoting hypocrisy here or encouraging you to put on a fake "church face", but I think all the mess and stress of the week should pale in comparison to the joy of our salvation and that should be what we strive to pour out on others and not our flustered exasperation with our wardrobe or with our spouse or with the super-slow Sunday driver in front of us. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:17 that any struggles, though very real and valid, we have on this earth are both "light and momentary" compared to the glory waiting for us in eternity. It's the anticipation of our hopeful future that should put a spring in our steps and bring a smile to our faces.
2. Make eye contact with and smile at the people you pass on the sidewalk and in the halls. Maybe this should go without saying, but in our current culture, it seems that this small hospitable gesture has been lost. We should find the courage, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to step outside of ourselves for a few brief moments to seek the better interests of others rather than ourselves. Okay, enough said.
3.Seek out someone who looks alone or "lost". They're in the lobby, in the restroom, at the coffee bar, in the line at the check-in desk in the kids' department, sitting in the back of the auditorium, in the parking lot, in the youth room, etc. They church is full of lonely people who either feel invisible or displaced. And besides, before Christ found us, that's what we were. What better way to display the gospel than to acknowledge the existence of and take an interest in those people? Invite him to sit with you and your family or friends. Ask her if she is involved in a small group. Invite her to yours if she doesn't. Exchange email addresses so you can send him a brief message mid-week. The only personal risk at stake here is a little rejection. I think we can all risk a little rejection from time to time to be a living display of the gospel. You never know what a difference a simple "How are you, today?" can make in a person's life.
4. Greet the people sitting near you in the auditorium. If you are seated in enough time before the worship service begins, then take a couple of minutes to greet the people seated near you. It doesn't have to lead to a long, drawn-out conversation, but should at least be a step toward taking an interest in those around you.
5. Stick around for a few minutes after the service to chat with people. I know this is a challenge for those of us who have kids in Sunday School or the nursery or after church plans, but it really is a vital thing for healthy-relationship building to take place within the Body of believers. So, if you've got kids, go get them and then chat with the other families that are picking up kids too. If you don't have kids, hang around the lobby or sidewalk to engage those you've just met or those you've known for awhile in conversation. Both groups should even consider inviting people to join them for dinner after church--either out or at your home--from time to time.
The thing is we have to be the ones to take the initiative sometimes. If we all just wait for the other person to speak first, move first, invite first, etc., then we may miss out on MANY opportunities to display the love of Christ to others and to develop new friendships. We have to fight against our current culture by being friendly and considerate to others in order to demonstrate that "We love because He loved us first" (1 John 4:19).
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