IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE

“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”

Luke 6:31 KJV

Years ago when I was looking for a church to join, I visited several churches.  Nobody ever said hello to me in any of the churches so I got up and left.  I went to the services twenty minutes early just to see if anyone would greet me.  Yesterday, I realized that I didn’t greet any of them.

I could have said hello to them and asked them how they were but I didn’t do it.  Joyce Landorf Heatherley, a Christian speaker and author said on one of her teaching tapes.  “The people we sit next to in church look fine and they look darling, but inside they are hurting”.

We don’t know what is going on in someone’s heart but Jesus knows.  He sees the hurt, the sorrow and the loneliness in their heart and His heart is moved with compassion for them.  Jesus hasn’t been here for over two thousand years.  We need to hug the lonely and hurting people for Him.

We may not be comfortable hugging people but all of us can hug people with our words.  The best way to let people know they are loved is to tell them that Jesus loves them so much He died on the cross for them.  We also need to let them know that Jesus not only loves them, He loves them unconditionally.

Heavenly Father, please put a desire deep in our heart to be an encourager and a comforter to everyone just as You encourage and comfort us.  I love You.  Thank You for everything.  Please forgive me for not always loving unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen. 

Joanne Lowe

December 20, 2015