“Who will welcome everybody?”

My friend Steve asked this after he found out he had cancer and realised he would be away from our church for a while. Steve is the kind of guy who makes everyone feel welcome. He loves greeting people when they come to our church, whether they are people he knows or brand new faces. He would go so far as to say it is a gift he has been given from God to show people this kind of love.

And now Steve is worried that as he goes through surgery and treatment—and is away from our church for a time—people will miss out on his welcome.

Perhaps not all of us are cut out to greet one another as openly as Steve does, but his caring example is a good reminder. Notice that Peter says to “offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 PET. 4:9; SEE PHIL. 2:14). Loving others with a welcoming, kind attitude is something we are all meant to try and do. We might not all be like Steve, but we can all invite our friends and others to get to know us in some way. Then they’ll be able to see Jesus at work in us.

Whoever we meet today, let’s try to be welcoming so “that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ” (1 PET. 4:11).

By: Dave Branon

To Pray About . . .

Jesus, help us to show You in the way we treat others. May we live out Your welcome to everyone.