Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, May 28, 2021

"A new command I [Jesus] give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."¹

Do you ever walk into a room full of strangers with the sense that you are the only one who feels insecure? The fact is that others, at least some of them in that room, probably feel the same way, especially if they are also strangers to the group. Feelings of insecurity are part of the human condition because we are all wounded in some way to some degree.

We visited a new church on one occasion where nobody bothered to talk to or welcome us, so I decided to talk to others and welcome them. "It's good to have you here at church today," I said and asked, "are you a member?" In fact, just this last Sunday morning after church I saw a man standing alone, so I specifically went to speak to him and help make him feel welcome. He turned out to be a first-time visitor. A little later this same man sought me out to thank me for talking to him, and told me that I was the only person that bothered to stop and speak to him.

So, when in a group of strangers, talk to a person who may be standing alone and ask him/her about him/herself. This will get you out of yourself and in time you will feel much better about yourself. I'm not suggesting that we be phony, but sometimes we just need to acknowledge our fear, but don't allow it to control us or hold us back from doing the right thing.

If we keep reaching out to others with a sincere motive and do the loving thing, in time this will help us to become more secure ourselves. It may be a challenge at first, but it is what Christ commanded us to do. That is, to love one another. One way to do this is to reach out to a stranger in your midst who is all alone.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in my insecurity help me to reach out to others, and to learn to love and accept myself as you love and accept me, not in any way to boost my own ego, but so I can become a freer channel through whom your love can flow to others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. John 13:34 (NIV)

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