Greet One Another
Do you know that there are 58 “one another’s” in the New Testament? Fifty-eight times God’s Word instructs us to do something for another person. Please take just a few minutes and read this “Weekly” article to learn about something so important that The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul no less than three times to issue this instruction. It’s found In the Book of 2 Corinthians 13:12 and it’s just three words –
“Greet one another….”
2 Corinthians 13:12
When you “greet” someone you are acknowledging their presence, you are saying that they matter to you, and you are saying, “Relax, this is a safe space, and I’m glad you are here.”
LifePoint Church, like the Church in Corinth, has new people attending each week. People attend our services from all walks of life. Our guests have faced all kinds of challenges during the week prior to being a guest at LifePoint. We who attend regularly have an amazing privilege and equally as important, a Holy Spirit instruction to “greet one another.” Why would God consider it so important to add the words “greet one another” to His Holy Word? Let’s consider just a few BIG BENEFITS of greeting others.
Benefits of Greeting Others:
1. When I take the time to greet others, I end up feeling like I’m having a good day. That can inspire me to do it more often. It’s called a “by-product of obeying God’s Word.
2. When I take the time to greet others, I am breaking the ice and lightening the atmosphere. They may have a question and not know where to ask. But because you said “hello” they may ask you. You may not know the answer, but by virtue of you asking someone else for the answer, our guest now has the opportunity to meet another person at LifePoint and make another connection. God uses connections all the time.
3. When I take the time to greet others, I am being courteous. We all know how cruel and hard our world can be. A simple “hello” will come across as kind, courteous, and polite – something that may have been missing in our guest’s life at work, at home, in the market place, or in their neighborhood.
4. When I take the time to greet others, I help establish a friendly environment. If we don’t take time to greet our guests they might end up feeling like they are intruding on an unfriendly space with unfriendly people. Most people feel uncomfortable when in a new setting. Our simple “hello” can change that and help people feel they are in a safe space – a friendly environment – someplace that might actually offer help.
5. When I take the time to greet others, I can establish a relationship.It may seem like a “no brainer” but if you think about it you will realize that you cannot form a new relationship if you never greet anyone. All relationships have a starting point. Your next “hello” may be the beginning of a new relationship. In a church setting your friendly “hello” might be our guest’s first step in learning about the love Jesus has for them, which is the most important relationship anyone can have.
6. When I take the time to greet others, I can give a good impression.It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway – ‘We only get one chance to make a first impression.” At LifePoint Church we want each new guest to understand that “We are friendly people, that they matter to us, they matter to God, and we are glad they are here.”
The benefits of obeying God’s instruction to “Greet one another” can have eternal results. Your friendly and sincere “hello” can be used by God’s Spirit to bring another person closer to understand who Jesus is, what He has done for them, and His promise of forgiveness and eternal life. I am praying that God will help you to be that person, that person who takes time each Sunday to look for and “greet” others for Jesus’ sake.
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