Shot with a Lego Gun


The nice little Korean Church had made me feel welcome despite the language barrier and the difference in cultures. But about halfway though the service a "bad" little boy started distracting the congregation. He was sitting with his parents near the front of the church when he began to get fidgety. 

First he jumped over the pew next to him and ran across the room. He then sat with the teenagers for a few minutes before running back down to his parents being scolded along the way by one of the older members as she put her finger to her mouth signaling for him to be quiet and motioning with her hand for him to sit down. However that didn't stop the little tyke as he ran around even more. 

That's when he discovered me...the only white woman with blonde hair in the room. He brought his simple Lego machine gun and started shooting me. I was tempted to use my finger and pretend to shoot back, but thought that might not be very appropriate.

Several of the church members observed his behavior and got up to try and take care of him, but didn't meet with much success. I'm sure there were those in the congregation that morning that were horrified at the actions of the young child and will probably assume that he was the reason I left early and will never return when in truth I knew I would have to leave early due the wedding I was attending and I can't return since I don't live in that area.

I would like to think that the little boy wasn't shooting at me because I was different, but because I was an easy target on the back row where he was out of sight from most people. But it did make me stop and think about how people feel when they enter my own church. 

Do they feel warm and welcomed? Do they feel strange and out of place? Do they feel "shot down" because no one stopped to speak to them? Do they want to escape before people recognize that they are new or different? What can I do to make people feel at home even if just visiting?

Lord help me to be an instrument of love to those who come into our church or our Bible study.

Matthew 10:40 "Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes."

www.hearthope.org

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