One Sunday, a hippie with his long stringy hair and raggedy clothes and bare feet decided to go to church. He walked in amongst all the folks in their Sunday "go to meet'n" duds and carefully brushed hair and shiny shoes. He walked in hoping to find a seat but nobody sitting on the aisle side would scoot over to let him in on their pew. Finally, he came to the front of the church and just sat down on the floor!

The people didn't know what to do. How could they get this horribly dressed and smelly person to leave peacefully? Then they saw the old deacon, one of the most respected member of the church in his immaculate 3 piece suit walking towards the hippie.

"Good, the old deacon will show this guy out", the people thought. However, when the deacon came to the hippie, he shook his hand, welcomed him to the church, and sat on the floor next to him for the rest of the service. Nobody would dare try to evict the hippie now.

It may not be a hippie but what about a single mom with messy kids, or perhaps an older person with health issues?  Everyday we have the opportunity to meet and serve others. May God help us to reflect the Spirit of Christ like the old deacon in the story above.