What Would Jesus Do, if you sat in my pew?

I have a really dear friend who has been going to a Bible study at a church other than her own. While at this Bible study, the talk amongst those who regularly attend that church turned to pews. It turns out that one of the ladies at the Bible study sat in "the wrong pew." The lady whom the pew "belonged" walked up to the first lady, and stared at her. Just stood there... and stared. Finally the second lady spoke to the first lady: "You're sitting in the wrong pew; you're supposed to be in pew four, pew three is mine." The first lady sheepishly expressed her apologies and basically crawled back to "her" pew.

What worried my friend was this: "Becky, if I ever go to a Sunday night service, what do I do if I sit in the wrong pew?"

"You smile and say that you're new, and continue to sit where you're at," was my reply. No one OWNS a pew. If you're going to GOD'S house (which is a falacy, anyway, for if we are the temple of the Holy One, then the church building is only a meeting place to get equipped to do battle for the Lord), then it's GOD'S pew -- not yours.

She actually was moved to write a beautiful essay on her thoughts about this "pew" business. I asked her if I could print it as a "guest blog"; I hope she sends it to me so I can do so.

Last night on the news, the announcer stated that church membership in the main denominations are dwindling, and more people are actually claiming "no religion" for their religious preferences. Hmm.... would attitudes of "God's people" have a little something to do with it? You betcha!

Personally, I'm so sick and tired of condescending looks of those who claim they love God, yet hate the person who lives next door because they're,,, uh,,, not desirable. Pastor Ronnie (you'll find his blog listed in the column beside this blog -- I never knew him until I started writing a blog, but I'm so glad I know him now) recently stated something to the effect that he is amazed at how God uses what other people would throw away (like a drug abusing, jail bird) to bring glory to Himself.

What if this young man went into the church that I mentioned above, to search for the love and compassion of Christ, and end up getting "stared down" by some person who doesn't want to give up "their" seat? Aren't we supposed to welcome rich or poor, smelly or clean, well-dressed or tattered clothes, saved and unsaved, and embrace them as Jesus would? In our church, we don't have specific pews. I don't have a habit of sitting in the same seat; the only seats I sit in on a regular basis are the piano bench and the teacher's seat in the kid's room; and that's only for a short amount of time. In previous churches, I've done the same thing, because for me, to sit in a different seat is a wonderful way to get to know other people I wouldn't normally get to meet.

In fact, at one church in which my husband preached before I knew him, he unscrewed all of the brass name plates off of every pew and screwed them onto a board that he hung in the back of the church. Not only that, but my husband physically moved all of the pews around; when the parishioners came into the church, they didn't even get to sit in their "normal" pews. I still laugh when I think of how he must have blown the people's minds!

My question to challenge you is this: What if Jesus came to YOUR church and sat in YOUR pew? Would you welcome Him,,, or would you "stare" Him down? I hope you would smile and welcome Him -- or any person sitting in your so-called "regular" seat in with open arms, because after all, Jesus Himself said that anyone who welcomes someone in His name welcomes HIM. Next time someone sits in "your" seat at church, please imagine that that person is Jesus, and treat that person with love... then smile, introduce yourself, and welcome that person in. It'll make a world of difference!