When I was a
kid, our family made a monthly excursion from Ohio to West Virginia to visit my
maternal grandparents. Every time we arrived at the door of their farmhouse,
Grandma Lester would greet us with the words, “Come on in and sit a spell.” It
was her way of telling us to make ourselves comfortable, stay a while, and
share in some “catching-up” conversation.
Life can get
pretty busy. In our action-oriented world, it’s hard to get to know people.
It’s tough to find time to ask someone to “sit a spell” with us. We can get
more done if we text each other and get right to the point.
But look at
what Jesus did when He wanted to make a difference in the life of a tax collector.
He went to Zacchaeus’s house to “sit a spell.” His words, “I must stay at your
house” indicate that this was no quick stopover (Luke 19:5). Jesus spent time
with him, and Zacchaeus’s life was turned around because of this time with
Jesus.
On the front
porch of my grandmother’s house were several chairs—a warm invitation to all
visitors to relax and talk. If we’re going to get to know someone and to make a
difference in their life—as Jesus did for Zacchaeus—we need to invite them to
“come sit a spell.”
The best gift you can give to others may be your time. (ODB)
