A Small Group is more than a meeting. It is an opportunity for others to experience Jesus in a tangible way. A friend of mine recently wrote about her experience in a local diner:
The waitresses - Joanne ('Red'), Jackie, Sue, Elisa, Queenie, and Jamie - are happy to see me. They all know my name. No matter which one waits on me, they start by bringing me my morning beverage - iced tea/no lemon - without being asked. And they genuinely are there to serve me.
On days off, I take the week's newspapers and head to the diner's corner booth. It's the booth I like the best because I can hear and see what is happening in the rest of the little diner.
From there, I have seen and heard the waitresses sing Happy Birthday to a 90 year old woman who has no family - except them. The whole restaurant joined in.
I have seen them fill the thermoses an extra time for the construction workers working on the road out front in the middle of a wicked cold snap. And then run out with some free donuts just because ‘those guys needed a little something special on such a cold day.'
They notice when their elderly patrons haven't been there in awhile. They remember a baby's birth, a death of a loved one, a loss of a job. They don't solve anyone's problems. They just listen, and make sure for those few moments you are with them, that you have a full cup of coffee and a smile.
I don't know what each of them believes, but I see Jesus when I watch them. No judgment. No chastising. Nothing but a listening ear and a shower of kindness. Often unexpected. Always appreciated.
Just last week, each one of them made their way to my table to ask how my sister was doing who was recently diagnosed with cancer. I told only Joanne about my sister a week earlier when she had noticed that I seemed sad. She cared enough to share my story - to share her concern for me
When someone brand new shows up to your group, what is the experience like for them? Do they see Jesus in a tangible way? What can we learn from this little family diner that we can apply to the small groups we lead?
You can read Diane's full post here.
A phrase that is often used in jest is so true when it comes to the success of a small group. As a leader -authenticity is the key to a vibrant, safe, and healthy small group.