Christian, when you go to church tomorrow remember that behind most of the smiles are hurting hearts that are desperate for hope. When you hear the songs, what you won’t be able to hear are the nagging doubts in souls who wonder if the lyrics they sing are true. There will be visitors who feel like they aren’t worthy to darken the church’s door, there will be members who feel like they aren’t worthy to have their name on a roll, and there will be preachers who feel like they aren’t worthy to open their mouth and say a single word. There will be parents worried about their kids, spouses worried about their families, and the lonely who wish they just had someone to worry about. Some of them will be sick but you can’t see it, some will be broke but you can’t tell it, and some will be crying for help though you can’t hear it.
So when you go to church tomorrow, take a second when you pass someone in the hall, take a minute when you sit next to someone on a pew, or take a half-hour when you stand behind your pulpit, and look someone in the eye, hug them, and remind them in a quick sentence, a short conversation, or a thoughtful sermon that in our hurting, changing, chaotic world of this one thing:
Jesus loves them more than they can ever imagine. And as you say it, ask Jesus to let some of his love be heard in your voice so that some of his love will be felt in their heart.
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