We also have a choice whether or not we will serve the Lord with our lives. Sometimes we encounter people who claim to be Christians, but their attitude seems to drive people running for the Church exit and away from the Lord instead of bringing them to Him.
I realize sometimes we all get moody once in a while, but what I am speaking of is a constant attitude that is just rotten to the core. It is almost like a bully on the playground back in elementary school, but sadly this sometimes occurs within the Church walls.
I remember hearing a Pastor preaching a sermon on the radio several years ago where he told about something that he witnessed when he was a teenager. He was about 16 years old at the time and was sitting in the back of the Church he attended running the sound board.
A young girl, probably around 20 years old, entered the Church. This was her first time there. Everyone in Church was dressed up in their usual Sunday clothes.
This girl was wearing dirty jeans full of holes, her shirt was worn and tattered, and her hair was a mess. Everyone could tell that she didn't have much money. She looked rather sad and depressed.
She sat down in a pew and sat through the entire service.
The Pastor preached the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. He told how we have all sinned and have fallen short of God's high standards. He told how God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for our sins. He told how we are saved by His grace and not of any works that we do.
The service started to come to the end and the Pastor did something that is rarely done nowadays, he gave an altar call. He invited anyone who wanted to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior to come forward. Only one person got up and came forward, it was that girl.
The girl in the dirty clothes with holes came to the front of the Church and got on her knees and received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.
Her face was beaming with joy. She smiled like she was the child of the King and she was.
Everyone congratulated her and welcomed her to the family. Well, almost everyone.
There was one woman who was standing by the door. This woman was on the Church board and she wore fancy clothes. She looked at the girl as she was about to leave and said, "Maybe next time you will dress better for Church."
The Pastor who was telling this story said the girls face that was so full of joy after receiving Christ turned to sadness at what the older woman had said to her. The young girl started to cry because she couldn't afford new clothes and she left the Church building.
The Pastor finished the story saying he wished the story had a happy ending, but he never saw that girl ever again. He wasn't sure if she ever went to another Church after that experience.
It reminds me of a verse of Scripture. Luke 11:23 which says,
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters."
We who are followers of Christ ought to be lights in the darkness. We need to be known as gatherers for the Lord Jesus and not those who scatter and drive people off.
We all have our moments when we don't feel well or we have something on our minds or our hearts are broken, but if we truly say we love Jesus shouldn't our actions show it.
There are probably people coming to your mind right now that act in a way that you wished they wouldn't, but that is not what I am trying to do.
What I trying to do is trying get us to do a little self inspection by asking ourselves, "How would Jesus treat this new person that is coming to my Church? or "How would Jesus act in this situation?" or "Is my attitude drawing people toward Jesus or away from Him?"
Those are very thought provoking questions to consider.
I will leave you with this one question as I close.
Are you gathering with Jesus or are you scattering?
Lord,
Thank You for loving a wretch like me.
I confess sometimes my light doesn't shine as brightly as it should.
I am sorry for that.
Help us to live empowered by Your Holy Spirit.
Help us to forgive those who hurt us and bully us at times.
Help us to show mercy and grace to others.
Teach us to love each other.
Grant us a fresh faith.
Help us to gather with You and not scatter.
Bless us now.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment