We Need More Nice People
Southaven, Ms
By: Mike Upchurch
Let’s say that you are a huge fan of singer Ronnie Dunn, one half of the famous country music duo Brooks and Dunn. So much so that you decide to start up a Ronnie Dunn Fan Club. You acquire a building and begin to recruit other like minded folks. You determine that you’ll meet once a week.
In those meetings you might talk about his music and it’s impact. You might play and discuss your favorite songs, and you might even have people in the group who have personally met Ronnie.
You don’t really do anything outside of those meetings. You’re not really a bother to anyone. You just quietly go about your lives admiring your favorite singer. You don’t impact the community. You don’t spend the resources of the Club on anything other than Club activities. After all, you’re just a Fan Club.
But did I just describe your Church? Are you just a group of people who are fans of Jesus? Do you quietly go about your lives just being a fan? Does anyone even know your Fan Club exists?
You might say “Pastor Mike, we’re not bothering anyone. We just like to meet and maybe sing some songs and talk about what Jesus has done for us. We don’t want to upset others, we just keep to ourselves.”
I understand that. I do. In this culture we dwell in it seems everyone is offended by Christians. You don’t want to offend. You don’t want to make waves.
Meanwhile people all around are angry. A lot of them are filled with hate. We the church are locked away in our Fan Club and lament how awful the world has become. But we are supposed to be the NICE ones, remember? I’m not trying to burden you with guilt. I just want you to ponder the fact your church might just be operating as a Fan Club, but you personally can affect people even if your Church isn’t.
After two weeks of watching the Left during the Impeachment Inquiry and their deep hatred for our President, I’m convinced more than ever we need to move outside the walls of church and just be nice to people. We need to be proactive and do good deeds!
When you do a good deed, you’re doing so in the name of the Lord, and people notice. If could be your simple acts of kindness that make a difference in someone’s life.
After my Dad passed away my Mother had a widow neighbor who would make it a point each week to push Mom’s garbage can back up to her house after the Trash pickup ran. And my Mom would try to do the same for her neighbor if she wasn’t home. It got to be a competition seeing who could beat the other one to the punch in being nice. Just simple acts of kindness.
You know how to be a good neighbor. I don’t have to suggest ways you could be nice. The point is this; be more than a Jesus Fan Club. Be the church outside of church. Be nice! When you’re caught being nice you have an opportunity to explain why to perhaps unchurched people. You’re nice because you’ve found love and forgiveness in Christ and now you just want to share that love. Because He loves you, now you can love others!
It doesn’t cost anything to be nice. And it could impact someone’s day in a positive way! Be nice this Holiday Season! Remember Jesus’ words…..
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”Matthew 5:16
Be more than a fan! Be nice to people outside of your Church too! After all, you ARE the Church!
And that’s the way I see it!
Pastor Mike
