Luke 10:5-6
“When you enter a house, first say,
‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your
peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We’ve
all been there. You’re in your most comfortable – but somewhat ratty –
pajamas or sweats…your hair is a mess…and maybe you need a shower. And
someone knocks on your door. Delivery people like my mail carrier and
the drivers for UPS and FedEx must think “That poor woman needs help!”
when I answer their call. Worse yet is when a family member, friend or
acquaintance drops by and catches you off guard. I’m pretty sure that
in each case, we don’t exactly promote an air of peace!
Perhaps
you have been on the “receiving end” of this experience. And maybe you
have visited someone who was cordial, at best…but cool – or in some
cases, quite short and rude. They did not make you feel welcome in
their home, for whatever reason. Perhaps they were uncomfortable about
their appearance…or you just caught them at a truly inconvenient time.
Or maybe they really didn’t want to spend time with you…much less
entertain you in their home for even the briefest of moments.
And
that’s the point…there are all sorts of reasons for a reception that is
less than welcoming. I have learned that most people are not noticing
my appearance or the neatness and cleanliness of my house nearly as much
as I am. I have also learned that I can’t possibly know everything
that was happening right before I rang someone’s doorbell or approached
them on the street or in a hallway at school, work or church…or in the
grocery store or other public venue.
Think back to the old movies
and television shows we watched when we were younger. Do you remember
those where a stranger would approach a person or a group of people and
say, “I come in peace!” This person was saying, “No need to be uneasy…I
am not here to harm you or judge you in any way. I just want to
talk.” In this passage, Jesus is instructing His disciples to let
others know that “I come in peace!”
If we project a sense of
acceptance and peace – and a lack of judgment and condemnation – we have
a far better chance of getting a good reception. If we behave in this
manner and offer the peace of God (if only in our demeanor and a silent
prayer) and we are treated poorly, we’ve not really lost anything. It’s
a “no-harm-no-foul” situation of sorts.
I’ll have to say, I have
the best delivery people in the world. They treat me the same whether I
look like I just rolled out of bed or I am dressed for a church
service! I don’t know if they actually say, “Peace to this house”
before they knock on my door…or if it just seems like it. I do know
that one FedEx delivery man always says, “It’s been a pleasure to serve
you” as he walks away. Whether he means that (and I think he does!) or
not…this comment leaves me with a warm feeling.
When others come
to your door, do they feel like it was a pleasure to be in your
presence? When you visit others…do they know that you “come in peace”?
Do you trust God to make the difference as you interact with others and
offer His love, grace, mercy, peace, understanding – and the GOOD NEWS
of Jesus Christ – to them? Do you rest in the peace of God, regardless
of how others treat you? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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