Do We Really Know One Another?
I read a post the other day about a teacher who had a unique way of getting to know her students. Every Friday afternoon she asked them to write down the four people they wanted to sit with the next week, and then to write down the name of the person in their class who had been the best example that week.
She spent time over the weekend, not changing her seating chart, but seeing what children in her class were left out and ignored. The lists sometimes indicated who was being bullied and who might be doing the bullying. It told her where the cliques were and who didn’t fit in with those cliques.
When asked by a parent how long she had been doing this, she said that it had been her practice since the tragedy at Columbine years ago. Apparently, she took very seriously knowing her students and what they were going through. She wanted to really see them and help them fit in wherever she could.
As I read that post, I began to think about congregations of the Lord’s people. I wondered if we really see one another when we gather for worship and fellowship, or if we have our own little clique and refuse to look outside of that group to see what is going on with our brothers and sisters.
Have you ever noticed someone sitting alone with a sad look on their face and left “your” seat to sit with them and try to put a smile on their face?
Do you only stand around with your group of friends or the people who sit around you and visit after services are over?
Do you take time to look for visitors who may be visiting for the first time and feeling a little uncomfortable because they don’t know anyone at the congregation?
Could it be possible that we sometimes look at how someone is dressed when they visit, and decide that they might not fit in with us?
Do you make the effort to go speak to someone whom you have perceived to be unkind to you, or do you just stay in your seat waiting for everyone to come to you?
Do we listen to the announcements about those who may be ill or suffering from some other problem, or do we ignore them?
Do you skip worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ to spend time with those who are not Christians?
Do you notice when someone has been gone from worship for a couple of weeks?
Are there people in your congregation you still don’t really know even after worshiping with them for years?
Do you really mean it when you sing:
We’re part of the family, that’s been born again.
Part of the family whose love knows no end.
For Jesus has saved us and made us His own.
Now we’re part of the family that’s on its way home.
And sometimes we laugh together, sometimes we cry;
Sometimes we share together, heartaches and sighs;
Sometimes we dream together of how it will be
When we all get to Heaven, God’s family.
Do we really know one another and want what is best for each other?
I’m examining myself. I hope you’ll do the same.
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AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
