Notice First and then...

   Yesterday, as I slipped into the church service late, by myself since my wife was coming to the later service, I picked out a seat near the back where I could slip in without bothering anyone. As I sat down I noticed a young man sitting a couple of seats down that I did not know.

   Now this is not unusual since we get a lot of visitors, and, with a large congregation, there are many that come all the time, or come to a different service, that I do not know or even recognize as having been there.

   This young man was obviously alone also, and I watched him as he listened to the sermon. When the message ended and the congregation was encouraged to stand and sing, he just kept his seat, putting his head into his hands. Seemingly, the words from the pastor had struck a chord, and this was his response. Was it meditation and prayer or something else? I did not know.

   The sermon concerned the Grace of God and how it is shown to man through the Christmas Story. There was this Grace that God gives, and there was also the grace that we give to each other, especially as Christians. With the December theme of family, the point had been made that, in our relationships with family during this Season, a need for each of us was to extend this grace to those in our families where those relationships were fractured or broken.

   Watching while singing, I saw no movement from my pew mate. When the song ended and the benediction given, he remained seated looking around as still in deep thought.

   As I dropped into the seat beside him, just to say hello and wish him a Merry Christmas, he introduced himself. I mentioned the message, and he responded with "those words really struck me, there are those in my family that I need to extend this grace to this very Christmas, but it is hard because of what they have done".

   He did not go into any great detail, but left it hanging like that. As we sat together for just those few moments, I encouraged him to let God lead him and promised to remember him in prayer. To be honest, I did not even remember his name, but, as we got ready to leave, he looked me in the eye and thanked me for stopping to speak.

   How many people sit on our pews on Sunday morning, or occupy some other space around us in life, that we fail to see? How many could use a few seconds of caring? How many do we not notice at all?

   Truthfully, as I stood singing, I had debated whether it was right for me to speak to him. I did not want to intrude on his time with God, but felt the leading to sit with him for a moment.

   At least two lessons I needed to learn yesterday:

   Notice those God puts in my path, and

   Follow His leading.

   Those people are all important