NOTICING OTHERS

                           “Greeting on a Sunday Morning”

Do you find yourself sometimes yearning to do “BIG things” for God?   I have.  Over the years though, I’ve found that it is never what “we do for God” but rather, “what He longs to do through us.”   This helps me relax a bit, and realize that I’m to just stay close in my walk with the Lord, and allow Him to orchestrate my steps and my circumstances. 

The verse that follows has refreshed my mind and attitude about daily living.   God encourages us to trust Him to where He will orchestrate our steps.  We never need to put ourselves “out there,” nor to manipulate our way into situations or platforms of service.   God is the One who is in charge of all that.   For me it has meant many times that I must relinquish the “driver’s license” of my own life, and get in the back seat of the car (so-to-speak), and allow Him to be in control of my life. 

Years ago when I was teaching a Bible Study I remember encouraging the ladies to relax regarding social situations and gatherings where “you haven’t been invited.”   If God wants us at a particular gathering, we’ll get invited.   Otherwise, we aren’t meant to be at the event.   What peace it is to know that He knows where He wants us to be and when.  May I invite you to spend just fifteen minutes “pondering the verse below” and see how that might look in your day-to-day experience

       Proverbs 4:26   “Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.” 

At first this real life story begins in such an “ordinary way.”   But with God, He takes our “ordinary” and makes it “extraordinary”.  I love greeting people at church on Sunday.   I mean that.   Every Sunday morning I can’t wait to arrive and stand at the door to welcome anyone and everyone coming through the doors.   On any given Sunday I had the privilege of saying good morning and smiling to about 300 people.  I just LOVED being there at the reception area to welcome each person.  There are a variety of reasons why I personally feel that greeting others is an important ministry.  In fact, I’d even say critical. 

My husband and I have attended many churches through God’s direction, and we’ve been to churches where you can walk in and walk out and never have any personal contact, either verbally,  with a smile, or even eye contact.  Naturally, we are drawn to those we know, and feel comfortable with.  But greeting others brings me out of my comfort zone and into the “moment of relational love” on behalf of our Lord Jesus towards every person that comes through the doors.

Often God encourages me to “Dianne, leave yourself in the car, and go in and represent Me to every heart coming through those doors.” Each handshake can be a prayer for that person.   After people see that we are friendly and available each week to greet them, many people will linger momentarily for a warm handshake, a smile, and an acknowledgement that they are so special to God.  This is a way that He would welcome them, through these little personal ways, letting them know that He is “so glad they have come to worship Him and learn about Him.”

There are two precious encounters I want to share with you.  I woke up this particular Sunday morning in a not-so-good frame of mind.  I just didn’t feel like welcoming that Sunday.  Another way of phrasing this is that I didn’t feel like smiling that morning. 

Ever feel that way yourself?  But, thanks to the prompting of the Lord, I went to church anyway.  There was a widow who arrived and I always feel they need a special touch or hug.  This morning as this lady approached me, I gave her a hug…and then…pulled her close again for a longer embrace.  Afterwards she looked at me and said these words:  “Dianne, I needed that this morning.  You are the only one who touches me all week.”

This has made a real impact on me for life.   Cell phones and texting can be very helpful, but how many times have we been in a restaurant and everyone at the table is firmly gripping their cell phones and not in conversation with anyone at their table.   I want to scream at those times because people are forgetting and neglecting to actually look into the eyes of another person and have real conversation.

Greeting people coming through the doors of our church in a small caring way is an incredible tool for sharing the love of Christ.  We never know the burdens, anxieties, cares and grief that are encased in each person entering the doors.   Let’s stop asking others “How are you?” if we don’t stick around to listen to their response.

The other encounter took place very early one Sunday.  A young Asian woman entered the reception area with her daughter.  She was very friendly and outgoing herself.   She seemed new, so I asked her how long she had been coming on Sundays.  This was her first Sunday at this particular church.  Before long we were in an engaging conversation about Christianity.   I shared that I was delighted to have met her and made a comment about being so friendly, and that perhaps she would enjoy standing with me to welcome others.   To my amazement, she stood across from me and began “helloing” everyone (I know that’s not a word, but it should be!)   She was marvellous in her friendly approach to others.   

Over the weeks we both began feeling very comfortable with each other and as time passed, she began to open up about her life, her hurts, and her struggles.   She shared that she didn’t believe in God.  Each time she shared about her life, the Lord seemed to give me illustrations and stories to share with her that brought another perspective to her struggles and questions.  This woman slowly began to ask questions about why she was born and what was the purpose in living.  These are questions we have all had.

This adventure of the two of us greeting went on for over a year.  We have moved to another church in the area, but we kept in contact with this gal and her daughter.

Another year went by and she phoned to tell me she had given her life to Jesus Christ and was attending a Bible Study to help her learn more about how to have a walk with her Lord.    Several months went by and she phoned to invite my husband and I to attend her baptism.   This baptism was a public declaration of an internal decision to follow the Lord in her life.

To honor her, and God’s work in her life, I want to share just a portion of her testimony.

            “Through daily prayer and having a quiet time with God, I poured out myself to Him.  I then pray, “Dear Father God, You created me.  You will see me through.  You will show me the way to solve all my troubles and grant all my needs in a timely manner.  Such feeling was similar to having a warm and mighty pair of hands upholding me at the back and protecting me.  Thank the Lord that He removed my self-sufficiency, so that I could only depend on Him to solve my problems.  Slowly I’m learning to trust Him and humbly submit myself to Him and forsake my self-righteousness and pride.”

What began on an ordinary Sunday, God used me to introduce her to the personal love of Christ for her.  Greeting each person is a tremendous joy, because in the manner in which we greet each individual, we have the opportunity to express to them that they are “significant to God.”   People need to know that before they ever sit down in the sanctuary, that they’ve been touched by His love and acceptance.

“People may forget what you teach, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”  William Buechner

Whether it’s in a church setting, social gathering or new in the neighborhood, let’s be the first to “say hello” to others and make them feel welcome.