Especially in the Little Things

Something that hurts my heart, is how the choices of a select few believers have driven unbelievers away from the church. Perhaps it's a story of how a church leader hurt them, or an angry debate they had with a judgmental Christian. Whatever the reason may be, they are done with church.

Sometimes I am frustrated with those believers for their part, and sometimes I am frustrated with the unbeliever for being so easily deterred. Yet, most of all I am ashamed of the negative impact I may have had on others by my choices.

Rather than sit paralyzed with frustration, I have chosen to focus on how I am living now. I want to live in a way that would draw people to Jesus, rather than drive them away.

On the way to work today I saw a man standing on the side of the road, smoking and holding his thumb up. I felt compelled to stop, so I did. I asked where he was going, and he said it was the town after where I was driving. So I offered to take him as far as I planned to go; I was secretly happy because he would likely send me on my way, and wait for a better option.

Instead he suggested I change my plan to take him fifteen minutes further than I planned. He explained that this was a compromise on his part, because he needed a ride twenty-five minutes further.

Needless to say I felt a bit put off, but I was determined to be the light of Christ to this man.

As we approached our compromised drop point, he boldly asked if I would just go ahead and take him the rest of the way. I did not appreciate him pushing his luck, so I said no.

Then God reminded me of Matthew 5:41 "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles." Pretty clearly applicable to my situation.

So instead of slowing down I told him, "I am a Christian, and the Bible says if someone asks for a ride for one mile, we should take them an extra mile too; so I am going to take you all the way there."

I honestly felt pretty silly saying that. I felt how my kids likely feel when I tell them to say sorry to their brother or sister, and demand they hug them too. God had spoken, and I wasn't going to argue.

What happened next was pretty amazing.

For the last part of the trip, he began to share of his deep hurt from his past experience in the church. He explained that he would think about going back to church, but just couldn't bring himself to do it.

I asked him his name as we stopped, he told me, shook my hand, then smiled and said goodbye.

So there I was, driving back to work in shock. I had reluctantly and accidentally had a positive impact on this man. God was able to use me to draw him into the kingdom; rather than pushing him away.

We can all have a positive impact on people. We may even change their impression of the church, and more importantly of Jesus. Especially in the little things we do for them.