The Little Church: How Love Goes a Long Way

I was invited by a non-profit organization to participate in a program at a church. In the beginning, I didn’t know anything about this church. I pictured it to be like all of the others I’ve attended—rather large, somewhat crowded, but rather friendly at the same time. I rode with someone there, and as we approached large churches—I was for sure that we had reached our destination. However, we simply passed by those large churches and continued our journey down a somewhat mysterious path.

It didn’t make any difference though. I had a wonderful ride down a long road listening to the driver of the car speak encouraging words. However, what made this trip interesting was the sudden turn down an unknown road that led to a very small church sitting silently on the side of a narrow street. This, of course, was not what I had pictured it to be. Surprisingly, it was better, and this is why:

This very small church sat peacefully in a place where it could easily go unnoticed. There was nothing about it that suggested a “LOOK AT ME!!!” type of environment. It was a humble, very simple, little church that was able to capture my heart from the second I saw it.

As we proceeded to enter the church, we were greeted with a kindness that is very rare in our world. They greeted us with not only outstretched hands for a handshake, but outstretched arms for a hug. They had never seen us before, but they welcomed us like they had known us for years. It was as if we were their family, and they were welcoming us home. They had prepared a lot of food for us and sat with us to eat. During the program, they were there to listen to our life stories, to laugh with us, to cry with us, to pray with us, and to share their own life experiences with us. They did this without casting judgment. They welcomed us with a sincere love for us.

Because of the outstanding love they showed, that little church felt like the biggest church I had ever been in before. Love has the ability to expand further than any of us can ever imagine. Love is powerful, but it has to be chosen. You have to choose to show love to others, and when you do…you will find that love has the ability to make the most powerful, most positive, most life changing impact in our world.

You also have to choose to accept love. Sometimes it’s not easy to trust others, but love does exist—and it can and will change your life. You may feel like you’re just a simple person that people just don’t notice that much. This little church was just a simple church on the outside, but on the inside it was gloriously filled with love which made it stand out. What are you like on the inside?

Love goes a long way. It’s not to say that it’s always easy to show love and that people will always accept the love we offer. That would only happen in a perfect world, and we don’t live in a perfect world…BUT, this little church…surrounded by bigger churches, placed in a world that may not always accept its love and its views, rather silent and meek, somewhat easy to pass by if you’re not really looking…dared to show love to people they didn’t even know. Despite all of the odds that may stand against them, they opened their doors with a welcoming spirit of love. They took a chance.

I will always remember this little church, because the love that they shared is now embedded in my mind, my heart, and my soul.

No matter what the size of the church is, it’s what happens on the inside of that church that matters the most. It’s the same with us as human beings. Who are we on the inside? There will come a time when that question must be answered.

(A special thank you to God’s Little Haven, Inc. and The Village Church for your kindness and love. And to Lyn (the driver of the car and the founder of God’s Little Haven, Inc.): Thank you for your encouraging words and your inspiration. It means more than you know!)