“Many people who will not read a Bible will read a Christian.” (Author unknown)
We had a special holiday service at our little country church this morning. Instead of our regular hymns and sermon, we had special music from our talented pianist, Christmas songs from a guest singer and from our preacher. We did sing “Joy to the World.” That’s a favorite hymn of mine. I did a post about it once and discovered it wasn’t actually written as a carol, but we’ve all adopted it as a Christmas song. If you want to read the post about the origin of “Joy to the World,” you can find it here.
Then we had a big potluck dinner with the most amazing desserts and salads. You can tell what I like best. Forget those vegetables and go for the salads!
My husband, Darrell, wasn’t there because he was singing with his Gospel group, the Patriot Quartet at a different church. A few years ago, I went along with them to a church in Sulphur Wells, Kentucky. The Sulphur Wells Methodist Church was a beautiful church built in 1916 with narrow wooden strips as the entire wall and ceiling. I talked to one of the men there who had been attending since he was a baby fifty plus years ago. He told me a story that is perfect for a 1st Sunday devotional.
Some years back, the church was heated by two wood stoves, but to heat up a church with a wood stove, somebody has to build a fire. So, there was a member who got up early every Sunday to start the fires so the church would be warm when the members arrived. He lived about a mile from the church and he would walk down to the church in all sorts of winter weather. Sometimes he would feel discouraged because the attendance would be low. While walking through snow or cold winds, he’d wonder if he should just stay in bed or by his own warm fire and not bother going down to warm up the church building for so few people to come. But he stayed faithful and kept the church fires burning.
Years later a neighbor of his surrendered his life to Christ. Then he told this man, who got up early every winter Sunday morning to start the fires in the church stoves, that he had seen his faithfulness through the years as he watched him walking to church. He said that made such an impression that he decided he wanted to know the Lord this man served so loyally.
So you see even when we don’t know it, somebody is watching us. Somebody is reading us for their Bible.
I AM MY NEIGHBOR’S BIBLE (Author Unknown)
I am my neighbor’s Bible. He reads me when we meet.
Today he reads me in my home, tomorrow in the street.
He may a relative or friend or slight acquaintance be.
He may not even know my name. Yet – he is reading me.
Dear Christian friends and brothers, if we could only know
How faithfully the world records just what we say and do.
Oh, we would make our records plain and labor hard to see
Our worldly neighbors won to Christ while reading you and me.
Do we reflect the Gospel to the world?
Comments 10
Very convicting and touching story. Oh to more like Christ!
Author
I’m glad you liked the story, Amy. We do need to pray to be more Christlike in our daily lives.
Amen. Have a blessed day! 🙂
Author
Thank you, Melissa. I hope you have a blessed day too.
Small acts make a great impact.
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They do indeed, Diana, both for good and for bad. We can hope and pray that our every day actions are for the good to those around us.
Thanks for this wonderful message Ann! I hope your weekend has been fantastic.
I read a quote from Billy Graham once….
“ We are the Bibles the world is reading; We are the creeds the world is needing; We are the sermons the world is heeding.”
We may not always realize how our actions and words might be speaking to those around us. I just pray that I can be a reflection of His light for others to see Him through me.
Have a beautiful week, Ann…filled with blessings.
Author
I can imagine how much of a cheerful light you are to your family and to those you meet at the museum where you work, Lavon. Being a reflection of the light of Jesus is something we can all hope and strive to be.
I like the Billy Graham quote. I know my preacher who quoted that favorite poem I can’t quite recall would have loved it too.
Thank you, Ann! I am looking for inspirational stories to share with my ladies’ Sunday School Class for the Christmas lesson. I often end my prayer at the end of Sunday School with a reminder that we might be the only Jesus someone sees that week…this goes right along with it. I hope you won’t mind me sharing this! Blessed Christmas to you and yours!
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Share whatever you like, Lois. I’m sharing the gentleman’s story that he enjoyed sharing with me. So I think passing it on is just what he would have wanted. And oh, if we could all show more of the love of Jesus each and every day.