There is a well-loved song that many churches use during their welcoming time. The lyrics are:
Smile
Everybody smile, everybody smile, everybody smile
Smile
Everybody smile, everybody smile, everybody smileLet us greet somebody in Jesus’ name
Let us tell them that we love them in Jesus’ name
We’ll tell them we can work together in Jesus’ name
Everybody smile
Jesus loves you
Everybody smile
Jesus loves you
The Bible describes various interactions with Jesus. The commonality is that He was warm and friendly to everybody. There were times when He used many words, and times when a look or a touch was the sole interaction. Have you noticed how many times people complained about Jesus being unfriendly or grumpy? That He had a repelling scowl on His face that kept people away?
A smile is a sign that Jesus’ love is noticeably present. It does not imply that church is perfect or that its attendees are without struggles. However, a smile is a sign of hope. Despite what is happening to us, we choose to trust God and put our hope in Him.
One benefit of coming to church is the assembly of people. Regardless of why you choose to attend, no one comes for a negative experience. I have never heard anyone declare that they attend church intending to have a terrible time. We like to call ourselves ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ in Christ. With God as the head of our family, we should strive to maintain a loving environment. One that is also attractive to our guests.
A simple way to get along is to smile. Smiles can be less threatening than a verbal greeting. A smile can be given in silence. It’s an ice-breaker that bridges gaps and warms hearts. A smile is affirmation for guests; we are happy that they’ve come to our church. A smile shows that the regular attendees are content where they are and want to let it be known. Guests feel more at ease when they see smiling people. A smile shows that we’ve put effort into our countenance. A universally understood sign, a smile shows acceptance and love.
A smile may be the one thing a person needs to feel welcome! Let’s practice to form a smiling habit. Before you verbally greet someone, may our smiles be the first impression they see.
You can always choose to resume your somber expressions when you get home.
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This is part of our Practicing Hospitality series. Visit the introduction page to read the other articles in the series.
