Is Your Welcome Mat Out?

Revelation 22:17 (ESV)

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

This morning as I walked out of the apartment, my eyes took notice of our “welcome mat.”   I thought to myself, I wonder how welcome people really feel when they ring our doorbell.  What happens when someone rings our doorbell is that Molly - our normally lazy, gentle, quiet dog - goes nuts.  She barks and barks and barks until she finds out who is at the door.  Hers are not quiet little yips.  Molly’s are loud, “I am the watchdog,” full throated barks.  I am sure that anyone, who does not know Molly, hearing her barks as they ring our bell – probably doesn’t feel welcome..  Our welcome mat is right there, but some may wonder – “Do they really mean it?”

That got me to thinking about how we as Christians welcome people.  Is our welcome mat out?”  That’s so important.  After all our God and Savior is a welcoming God.  There are any number of things Jesus said and did that make this obvious.  When people tried to silence the blind man in Jericho, Jesus commanded them to bring him.  When the disciples tried to turn away mothers with babies, Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come to me and forbid them not.”  When Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus, Jesus called him down out of that tree.  “Zacchaeus, I must stay at your house today.”    Again and again our Savior invited people.  “Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”   Jesus being crucified for our sins and raised to life again was God opening His arms and inviting us.  “I,” Jesus promised, “when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all men to myself.”  In the gift of His Son God was definitely putting out the welcome mat to one and all.

So, I ask again, is your welcome mat out?  After all, as believers, you and I are Christ’s ambassadors in this world.  He invites and welcomes people to Himself through us.  How we greet people at church is so very important.  I often hear that this church or that is unfriendly.  The reality however is that it’s not churches who are unfriendly.  It’s people.  So, when you see someone new at church do you introduce yourself, welcome them, ask if you can show them around, or do you walk right by?   When you see someone you know but can’t remember their name, do you pretend not to see them?  Or do you show you care about who they are by humbly admitting your own frail memory and reintroducing yourself.  When you see a new person struggling to find their way through the hymnal and bulletin, do you ignore them or do you offer to help?  When you notice someone is missing from worship, do you wonder what the pastor is doing about that?  Or do you call them to let them know you care and see how they are doing?  Welcoming people at worship is every believer’s responsibility – not just the ushers or the greeters or the Pastors.   

Let’s take it away from Sunday morning worship.  We are Christ’s ambassadors everywhere we go.  So what do people encounter when they meet you – a loud scary bark or a welcome mat?  Is the door to your office always closed or is it often open, inviting people in?    Do you appear to people to be too busy to talk, or do you communicate, “I have plenty of time, sit down. let’s visit?”  I have a friend who is a very busy Christian counselor. However his desk is always clean and cleared off.  I asked him why.  He said, “I want people to feel relaxed and welcomed.  A cluttered desk says, “I’m really too busy for you.”   You can see I don’t always do so good at that.  When you see someone you know at a store, do you  greet them and stop for a moment to visit, or do you walk right by hoping they didn’t notice you?  When your kids want to play with you, or your teens want to talk to you are  you just too tired, or do you perk up and pay attention?

Now I know that most of us are probably good and bad at welcoming people.  I didn’t share this blog today to make people feel guilty.  I just know that I need to be more aware.  I also know how grateful I am that our God is welcoming, loving, gracious and forgiving.    He is patient with my impatient barking.  He is the same with you.  He comes daily into our lives to clean up the clutter, to gently hush our bark, to sweep off the front porch of our lives and to put out once again the mat that says to one and all – You are welcome here.  Come on in and meet Jesus.