Do You Welcome Those Looking for a New Home?

How do you treat newcomers or strangers who come to your church? Maybe, they are looking for a new home church. Do you show extra attention to those who are dressed nicely—in a way that would honor God…or maybe you’ve heard that they are visiting from another church of your denomination? Do you ignore those who are of another ethnicity, dressed sloppily, or maybe obviously of another faith? God loves everyone. Can you?

What are your motives in how you treat others? Jesus taught that we are to love one another. Can you?

 

Did you forget to wear your pearls?
Were you treated with honor anyway?
God so loved the world...and that is you.

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"—well, doesn't this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? James 2:1-4

 

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You were discriminated against—and now Christians are being shot—the highest form of discrimination. When people wanted to throw You off a cliff, You slipped away (see Luke 4). Did You just disappear? Sometimes when we face disagreements and opposition, we don’t have the luxury of just slipping away. Help us to be bold for You, Jesus. Please continue to guide us, that we would please You in thought, word, and deed—with no evil motives.

 

Meditate. Consider what Jesus is teaching through James.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ But I keep praying to you, LORD, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation. Psalm 69:13

 

© 2025 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

 

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories