19/06/2026
THE PHONE THAT RANG IN CHURCH
A man forgot to switch off his phone before entering the church. As the pastor began to preach, his phone suddenly rang loudly, interrupting the service. The pastor immediately stopped preaching and publicly rebuked him. The congregation turned and stared at him with disgust. Embarrassed and ashamed, he sat through the rest of the service in silence.
On their way home, his wife continued to scold him for embarrassing the family in front of the entire church. When they got home, the man quietly left the house and went to a bar. Still shaken by what had happened, he sat down and ordered a drink.
As he reached for the glass, his hands trembled. The glass slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor. The bartender rushed over and said, "Don't worry, sir. Are you okay?" He handed him a towel to clean himself up. Another customer nearby smiled and said, "It happens to all of us. Everyone makes mistakes."
The janitor came and cleaned the floor without complaining. The manager walked over and offered him another drink free of charge. Nobody insulted him. Nobody embarrassed him. Nobody made him feel worthless. From that day forward, the man never returned to church. But he kept returning to that bar.
THE LESSON
Sometimes, the greatest obstacle between a person and God is not the devil. It is the way some of us treat people. A harsh word can drive a soul away. A judgmental attitude can close a heart. An act of love can open a door that years of preaching cannot. People may forget your sermon, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
Treat people with grace. Treat people with patience. Treat people with love. Because you never know what someone is going through, and you never know how your actions today may affect their eternity tomorrow.
"Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:14. What do you think? Can the behavior of a person sometimes push people away from God?
Cc. Raymond K. Moneyed
