The Importance of Greeting 

Can you imagine going to visit a congregation of the Lord’s church and walking away with this feeling that you weren’t welcome? All too often, that’s what visitors to our assemblies face. It’s not that we intend to be unfriendly and exclusive. It’s just that we enjoy being with our Christian family so much that we often don’t take the time to greet our guests and allow them to “break into” our family of friends. Numerous studies have been conducted concerning how churches grow and why they don’t, and each one mentions this as a leading factor. The fact is people need to feel needed. If they don’t hey won’t come back for another visit.

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had the problem of not wanting others to “break in” to their exclusive club. It is reported that many of these pious men refused to even look at someone who wasn’t a Pharisee for fear of being made “unclean” by them. They had a difficult time understanding how this man named Jesus could claim to be from God and yet spend time mixing with men who were unworthy to approach the Temple because of their sins. It’s Interesting that Jesus reminds them that doctors aren’t for the healthy, but those who are Ill. In other words, if you don’t spend time with the sinner, they’ll always be sinners.

Jesus’ disciples had that exclusive attitude to a point. Remember their reaction when Bartimaeus began to call out to Jesus? “Those who led the way sternly told the blind man to be ‘quiet” (Lk. 18:39). As we look at the life of Jesus, we see that every time someone needed His attention, He gave it. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to Jesus by night (John 3). He got the Christ’s undivided attention. A widow, whose son had just died, got personal attention from the Son of God (Lk.7:11 - 15). Little children who wanted to get close to Jesus were eagerly accepted (Matt. 19:13 - 15). On and on it goes friends, enemies, people with physical ailments, those looking for heaven and those trying to trap the Lord, were all given their time. Amazingly, Jesus still had time for those who were closest to Him. He made time to be with them.

Each person Jesus came In contact with was impacted In some way. Most were more than satisfied at the results of their visit. Others chose to Ignore the obvious and reject God in the flesh, but they were still changed! You and I have the opportunity to impact people In the same way.

When visitors come to our assemblies, they will be touched. Either they will look forward to coming back and being with us again, or they will mutter, “I’m never visiting those unfriendly folks again!”

Make a point to look around the next time you’re gathered with the saints to worship. Find someone you don’t know and Introduce yourself. You might be the one person that makes a difference In that life.

“Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God” (3 John 5-6).

- UKNOWN, via LIFELINE bulletin