Putting The Go Back In The Gospel

I got to Prayer and Praise early last evening and was sitting in the lobby reading and going over a lesson I am working on. The sky turned dark and we had one heck of a thunder storm on top of us. As the rain started to pour a couple pushing a grocery cart from Kroger came running under the drive thru. The wind was blowing so badly that they pushed their cart into the lobby and sat down beside me. Body odor was quite strong from walking in the sweltering heat and now drench by the shower. I struck up a conversation and we began to chat. They were not married. They found the basket in our parking lot. Her dad died at 49 and mine at 48. She said she used to attend here at Madison, though I really doubt it...maybe as a child. She apologized for smelling like smoke. She wants to quite but it is so hard. The guy with her is here boy friend. Amazing how people open up when someone shows an interest in listening to them. As we were talking I thought about my last post here. Nice cars were pulling up and people dressed casually, but nice, were coming in. Some gave us a glance and then that quick turn away, like “I wasn’t expecting to see that”. They were not being rude; it was just a knee jerk reaction to an unfamiliar situation. We don’t know how to react because of our lack of exposure to people that are different from ourselves. Jesus never said go into all the world and build church buildings and invite people that are like us to worship. He said, “Go into the entire world, (literally, as you go…) It was a commission to “every” creature – every person of every ethnic group. Somehow we lost the “go” of the Gospel, and we are surprised when someone from “out there” shows up, especially without an invitation. The rain finally stopped and the couple went on their way. Barb came in as they were leaving and the lady said, “I bet that is your wife”. I ask her how she knew. She said, "you look alike." “You know they say the longer you live together the more you look alike". Then she said, “You love each other very much; I can see it in your eyes.” I just hope she could also see the love of Jesus for her in our eyes.