I’m Not Asking You to Invite People to Easter…
Usually this time of year churches start to ask people to invite their friends and family to an Easter worship service. We have done that. We do it for the best of reasons – because we know that people are unusually sensitive to the Holy Spirit during this season and will feel a tug toward church.
But I’m not asking you to invite people to church this Easter. Instead, I am asking you to love people this Easter:
- Love people enough to be so joyful that they notice something is different. When they ask what’s going on, tell them, “It’s the season to remember what Jesus did for me!”
- Love people enough to tell them in a sentence or two about your story of following Jesus– risk a little discomfort in the conversation.
- Love people enough to park in the back.
- Love people enough to postpone a family trip for spring break so you can sit with them in worship.
- Love people enough to talk to them on Easter Sunday.
- Love people enough to slide toward the middle of the row.
- Love people enough to pray for people you know need God. Ask the Holy Spirit to work in their lives.
- Love people enough to be okay with it if God leads them to another church on Easter Sunday and they find Jesus.
- Love people enough to help a family with three kids in uncomfortable clothes find the right group where their children will be loved.
- Love people enough to not say, “I can’t believe you are in church today! You of all people! It’s a wonder the walls don’t’ all down!”
- Love people enough to accept them if they dress up or down.
- Love people enough to help them know they are not a number.
- Love people enough that you pray during the response time that someone will take the step of accepting Jesus as their Savior.
- Love people enough to be hopeful that the best is yet to come.
Jesus loved people so much, he came back. He came back after they betrayed him, hurt him, and debased him. Love people like Jesus for Easter.
