Let Me Alone

Several years ago a lady came to visit me saying she was thinking about placing membership with the congregation for which I was preaching. "The congregation I have been meeting with just won't leave me alone; they are always calling up to say that they missed me at Bible Study. I have told them that I just don't attend Bible study, but they don't seem to understand that. They just won't leave me alone." 

I assured her that I could offer her little comfort. Neither could I understand why she did not attend Bible class. I told her that personally I could not “let her alone”, and that. I did not believe the elders would “let her alone".  

She added, of course, a time-worn cliché: “But it's nobody's business whether or not I attend Bible Study.”

 Kindly but firmly I tried to explain to her that it was the Lord's business. The Lord wants Christians to grow. I explained further that it was the elders' business whether or not she studied the Bible. Elders are charged with the tremendous responsibility of feeding the flock. They must encourage sick members to take spiritual nourishment. How is this possible---- if you do not attend?

 There are, no doubt, people today who think they would like to be “let alone”, but the lord will not leave any of us alone. Let us pray that we may never leave each other alone, but provoke each other to love and good works.

 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works…”             Hebrews 10:24-25                                                                              ~unknown