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Create Some Space for Others

                 When doing up a dress shirt, if you do not get the first button in the right place, every other button will be wrong.
                I think the church has missed the first button.
                As groups and individuals, we do a lot of good.  We have good intentions.  We love God and we want to make disciples, but most of us are not seeing a lot of fruit.  What are we missing?
                Hospitality.
                When you read that word, you probably think about having someone over for supper.  That could be part of it, but Biblical hospitality starts with something much simpler.  It starts with an attitude.
                “I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law… so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law… so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
                Do you hear what Paul is saying?  He will do anything in order to build a bridge to others so that he can teach the gospel.  He will be interested in whatever they are interested in.  He will go where they go.  He will do what they do.  He will not compromise his faith, but he will put his personal preferences to the side and ask, “Can I join you?”
                That is the exact opposite of what I was taught!   I was told to run away from people.  I was told that I should not have any non-Christian friends.  We formed a church softball team so that none of us had to meet any one we did not know.   We insulated ourselves, hid in the church building and then wondered why we were not having much impact on the community.
                “The word became flesh and dwelt among us!” (John 1:14).   If Jesus’ example teaches us anything it is that we ought to be running towards people, not away from them.  We ought to be welcoming, instead of shunning.  We ought to be going, instead of waiting.
                A hospitable, welcoming heart that makes room for others is the first button. 
                If we get that wrong, nothing else will line up.

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