More Than Just Your Group

Read

Matthew 5:47 "And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"

Think

Have you ever noticed how kids group up? There are the kids who sit together at lunch, the kids who play the same game at recess, the kids who always pick each other for teams. It feels safe to have your group.

There is nothing wrong with having friends. Friends are a gift from God. But Jesus asked a question that pokes at us a little. He said, “If you only say hi to your own group, what is so special about that? Everybody does that.”

Jesus was not telling us to ditch our friends. He was telling us to open the circle. To notice the kids outside our group. To say hi to the new kid, the shy kid, the kid nobody else talks to.

Think about how it feels to be the new kid at school. You walk in and everybody already has their group. Nobody saves you a seat. You eat lunch feeling invisible. It is a lonely feeling, and this month a lot of kids are feeling it because school just started.

Now imagine you are the one who changes that. You walk up to the new kid and say, "Hi, want to sit with us?" In one moment, you just turned their whole day around. You made them feel seen.

That is loving like Jesus. He was always noticing the people everyone else ignored. The ones on the outside. The ones nobody picked. He walked right up to them and made them feel important, because to him, they were.

Your group is a good thing. But your group can grow. There is always room for one more. When you widen your circle to include someone lonely, you are doing something bigger than just being nice to friends. You are loving the way God loves.

So keep your friends close, and keep your eyes open for the kid on the outside who needs to be let in.

Apply

Open your circle – Say hi to someone outside your usual group today, maybe a new kid or someone shy. Invite them to sit or play with you. Make one person feel seen.

Pray

God, thank you for my friends. Help me not to keep my circle closed. Give me eyes to see the kids who feel left out and help me welcome them in like you would. In Jesus' name. Amen.