Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’     Matthew 25:37-40 NKJV

If I’m being totally honest, I’m not a fan of the bumper stickers and t-shirts that say, “Be kind”. I have one just because Snoopy is on it and I’m a Snoopy fan, but I don’t think we should have to go around telling people to be kind. I think it says a lot about the world we live in when people feel they have to literally have a sign out for people to be kind. That is something that should come naturally.

The fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5:22 as being love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. So, it’s listed right there, kindness. As Christians, we should certainly exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, and part of that is kindness.

But sadly, in many churches today, you may not find much fruit. I’ve heard from friends and acquaintances that they have gone to a new church only to be informed that they were sitting in someone else’s seat. Some have reported that no one ever looked at them or spoke to them the whole time they were there. Some have reported a cold or downright unfriendly atmosphere. And this is in our churches today.

I grew up in church, so I don’t have any issue getting up on Sunday morning and going to church. Growing up with my mom and my paternal grandmother, that was as normal as breathing. I mean where else would you go or what else would you do other than get up on Sunday morning and go to church? As I got older, I sometimes missed church, but basically attended at least a couple times a month.

But I ask you good, church-going people to always consider a few things when visitors darken the doors of your church. First of all, they may have never attended church as a child. Or, they may have come from a very different religion. They are probably worried about not having the right clothes to wear or where they sit or how they present themselves. It may have taken every fiber in their being just to get there.

If they are not treated with kindness or are disregarded all together, they probably won’t be back to your church or possibly any other church. You have just put up a stumbling block for that person. Shame on you because we know the Bible has some harsh things to say about people that put up a stumbling block for someone who is trying to turn to God.

If you walk into church and someone is in “your” seat, welcome that person. Tell them how glad you are to have them there and sit down by them. Make them feel as though their attendance is appreciated.

Now ya’ll know that when I tell ya’ll these things, I am often reminding myself to do this. I know we all get wrapped up in what we do at church, especially if you are busy trying to do three or four jobs on Sunday morning. But don’t let that stop you from being kind.

Be a welcoming church. Thom Rainer wrote a short book titled, “Becoming a Welcoming Church”. I strongly recommend reading it or maybe even making it a class at your church. It has some wonderful ideas for welcoming guests.

And don’t forget to be kind to others outside of church as well. 1 Peter 4:9 says, “Show hospitality without grumbling.” And Hebrews 13:2 tells us not to forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Have a great day!