Are You A Good Example

Are You A Good Example "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 Do you realize that when you invite someone to visit a church with you, they are not only checking out what is happening up front, but they are also checking out what is going on around them. They are watching your reaction, and the reactions of others around them. This should be important to you, as many times the impression they get is what will draw them back. This may be their first visit back to a church in many years, and they don't know the protocol and may feel uncomfortable unless you tell them what to expect. They may not know what they are supposed to wear. They don't know what slogan is acceptable on a T-shirt. They don't know what to say. Some Christians might turn them away and say, "I am sorry. You can't come in here. You are not dressed appropriately." That makes God angry, because the church is a place to hear the Word of God. The church is a place to worship the Lord. The church is a place to pray. And the church is a place for sinners to come and find God. If someone comes to church who doesn't know the protocol or the dress code or the secret language of Christians, and they are turned away or made to feel uncomfortable because of some judgmental stare from a believer, then we are missing it. We should look at those people and go out of our way to welcome them, to make them feel loved. We should never keep people from Christ, but encourage them and make them feel welcome. We should always be drawing them to Christ. Are you a bridge or a barrier to people coming to Christ? Every Christian tends to be one or the other. We are all examples, whether we want to be or not. The question is, are we good examples or bad ones? Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven July 19