My friend Alicia calls her mother on the holidays. Her mother hangs up when she recognizes Alicia’s voice. Alicia had a great family when she was growing up and she feels sorry for her friends that didn’t. She remembers a home that used to welcome her. Oh how she misses that warmth. Now she rents a room and fights with her landlord about who bought the cheese and who owns the bananas. Where is home? Where did it go? Saturday nights she drives down to her favorite church. No one knows her there, but God is always glad to share His home with her. And God is always generous with the bread and grape juice.

My friend Tomas has no family right now. When his despair pulls him to the bottom he calls the man that was his father. It makes him feel better to tell his father how he feels about life. Alcoholism, drug use. All the wonderful things a father can teach his son. Home is where the heart is. But where does that leave you when there is no heart? Sometimes a friend takes him to church. Once in a while he prays that his life was different.

Joseph has a nice place to live. Warm and cozy right next door to his daughter and son-in-law. But this place is a long way from where he lived before. Is it a home when you have no friends that visit? Is it a home when you go days at a time with no one speaking to you? What makes a house a home? Where can he go to find someone to talk to? Is it you?

Are you the one that says hello? Do you hold out your hand and welcome the stranger?

I worked 18-months as a part-time volunteer on a drug/suicide hot line. 90% of the calls were from people that were just lonely. They called to hear another voice. They had no one that would shake their hand, give them a hug, ask if they were still alive, ask if they planned to stay alive for another week. And they live next door to you and me.

Have you been to one of our church meals? Are you surrounded by friends? Do you see the people in the shadows – the ones that sit alone or sit right next to you? Sara came to our church. Everyone saw Sara. No one said hello. Sara is searching elsewhere now. Could this church have been a home for Sara?

Five minutes of chat on a Sunday morning. Ten minutes of concern in a Bible study and you will touch someone’s heart.

Brian is a successful businessman. He spends evenings with his friends. He has a nice car, sharp looking clothes and loving parents. But he has no church. He’s tried a few. He can go to a baseball game and make at least one new friend before he leaves. When he walks into a church he walks out not even knowing the names of the people next to him. He hasn’t tried our church yet because he’s a little discouraged right now. If he sat next to you on Sunday would you introduce yourself?

Matthew 25: 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

A smile. A genuine greeting. A few minutes to listen and share with someone. Simple things done with heart. That’s all it takes to change a house into a home or change a building into a church.