As believers, we are called to walk along side our brothers and sisters in Christ and motivate them to acts of love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). I’ve noticed something over the years, and it’s not just something I’ve noticed at church, but people are social creatures of habit. We develop a “comfort zone” of people that we have something in common with or people that we enjoy talking to. It seems that we naturally gravitate to those groups in most social situations. I’m frequently encouraging our students to get out of their comfort zone and be bold for Christ. However, I find myself sinking into my comfort zone week after week. I tend to catch the same people in the lobby before and after service. Others receive a polite greeting and perhaps a handshake but it’s all on the surface. I don’t take the time to stop and ask that person how their week has gone or what God’s showing them in their quiet time. I don’t ask them if there’s anything they need prayer for, or if I can help them in some way etc… I simply smile, shake their hand and say good morning.
Jesus expects so much more of me. He expects me to invest in the lives of others in and out of church. He expects me to encourage my brothers and sisters in the faith and to motivate them to good works. Look at Paul who reluctantly holds himself up as an example (1 Corinthians 11:1). He traveled all over preaching the Truth of what Christ has done (and continues to do) for us and planting churches but he ALSO cared for those believers in a very real and tangible way. He would labor in prayer for them night and day (Galatians 4:19 among many). He would send fellow workers to check in on them and he would even travel back around himself when he had the chance. Paul cared so deeply the body of Christ that he did all he could do to help them grow in the faith and become mature believers.
That’s where we need to be as the body of Christ. We need to motivate one another to acts of love and good works AS WELL AS building each other up and helping one another grow in faith. Let’s work together to get out of our “comfort zones” and encourage a brother or sister that you have very little in common with or that you don’t know that well. It’s that kind of love and fellowship that the world will take notice of. That’s the kind of love and fellowship that will cause the Kingdom of God and our church to grow in number but also in strength and unity!
