Pause

Sharing our personal thoughts and prayers can seem intimidating and uncomfortable. But just as those in the early church had to overcome those fears, we do too. The more we practice opening our lives to others, the easier it may become.

We would all benefit if we became more transparent and more humble to ask for help or prayer.

Listen

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Romans 15:7

Think

In 1989, on a student tour of what is now Russia, I remember arriving at the place we would stay and participating in a long welcoming ceremony. Sharing food, music, and warm greetings made us feel special. At the time I didn’t understand all it meant, but I remember feeling a part of the lives of the people who welcomed us. I remember it well.

Maybe we should think about starting our own welcoming ceremonies! How can you share your life with others in a way that lets them know that you care about them and accept them the way they are? We follow Jesus, who demonstrated to us what it means to welcome others unconditionally. There are no checklists or qualifications, simply a welcoming spirit.

How can you welcome others today, even if they are different from you? How can you live life together with those whom others have rejected?

Dale Tadlock

Pray

Welcoming God, help me to welcome not just my friends, but those whom others have rejected. Give me the ability to extend a welcome to others with the same unconditional love that I have experienced. Amen.

Go

Prayer is more than just a quiet time with God. It is entering into a community (a life together) as we seek to experience and be the presence of Christ. How might you open your life to others as you seek to be the answer to their prayers?

Listen!…Follow!…Share!…Encourage!…Inspire!…Pray!