Small Group Awkwardness and People Jesus Loves

First thing this week: the LifeMatters iMix. The iMix, a collection of songs that go great with the Scripture points in LifeMatters, is available on iTunes. For now, the best way to find it is by clicking on “Music” in the iTunes Store and then clicking “iMix” in the left sidebar near the bottom of the page. Then all you have to do is search for LifeMatters. Be sure and check iTunes each quarter for a new iMix of songs that go hand in hand with what you’re studying in LifeMatters. Now for a few thoughts on this week’s lesson.

I have something to confess. God taught me this very lesson this week and I didn’t respond right away like I should have. Here’s how it went. I lead a small group at my church. I couldn’t be there last week because my wife was sick, and apparently, we had a new person show up. Based on what I heard later, things didn’t go so well. The pastor was teaching about sex that night, and our very honest visitor was quick to share some things from her past, making things a bit awkward at times. Then, about halfway through discussion time, she began breast-feeding her hungry baby. Needless to say, the public feeding added to the discomfort some of the group members were feeling.

I’ve been wondering all week how I should feel about and handle this whole thing. To be completely honest with you, I was hoping she would try a different small group next time. I knew it wasn’t the right way to feel, but I tried to justify it in my mind: She doesn’t really fit in; we’re all couples with young children and she’s single and has a baby and kids older than ours. She doesn’t seem to understand the dynamics of our group. She makes people uncomfortable. The list could go on—and it did in my head—but I’ll stop with those.

Before small group started this week, we “regulars” were talking about how awkward the previous week had been. We figured the visitor felt the tension last week and would try a different group this week. But our gossip came to a halt when we saw her van roll up the driveway. I could feel the disappointment in the room at the sight of her, and I have to admit I was pretty nervous.

Once again, the night was awkward and the lady and her kids seemed out of place. But God convicted me during our meeting, and He hasn’t stopped yet. We were acting like a bunch of Pharisees. God led this woman to our group for a reason and it’s our responsibility to love and minister to her. Period.

It won’t be easy. The issues she’s dealing with are huge, messy, and uncomfortable, but she’s just the type of person Jesus ate dinner with. She’s also the type of person the Pharisees would’ve kicked out, shunned, humiliated. I need to love this woman and her kids because Jesus loves them and died for them the same way He did for me.

Lessons like this one are tough because they push us into uncomfortable waters. If we honestly pray to live out what we’ll learn this week, God will open the doors. He will bring people into our lives that we may not want there, but that shouldn’t keep us from showing them the same love Christ has shown us. It will be awkward, it may even be expensive and time-consuming, but that’s what we’re called to do. If we don’t love the same people He does, what are we doing? Jesus healed the hurting and hung out with sinners, and thank God He did or where would we all be? Now it’s time for us to do the same thing.