I met some visitors in church a few weeks ago. I like meeting visitors and making them feel welcome at church.

This couple had been believers for many years and were looking for a new church home. We talked about what they thought about the service and where they lived.

Then I noticed something about the way I was talking. It wasn’t like I had become rude or mean, but something was different. Without realizing it, I got a little weird.

As I thought about it, I realized that I really wanted this couple to like the church and come back. I wanted them to get involved. I wanted them to help the church grow.

So I stopped being myself. Instead of asking questions and listening and trying to learn more about them, I only talked about how perfect the church was and listing activities that they would love to get involved with.

Now, the couple probably (hoepfully!) didn’t notice, but I did. I try very hard to care about people when I meet them, especially for the first time. So when I finished this conversation, I could tell something was a little different.

While we were talking, I wasn’t thinking about what was best for them and whether this church was the best place for them to grow in their walk with the Lord. I was thinking, “Do whatever it takes to help this church grow!”

I say all this as a confession, and a reminder. I’m confessing that sometimes, I put my goals before people. And I want to remind all of us to be careful to always put the people we are ministering to first.

This type of attidue can really be felt in a youth group setting. I remember going to some youth group meetings that made me feel like less of a person if I hadn’t brought one or two friends with me. We got pumped up about growing the youth group but sometimes forgot to talk about our own walk with God.

Unfortunately, it can be easy to put programs first and people second. So I try to make it a habit by purposefully thinking every week, “Is my top priority right now the teens in front of me? And can they tell?”

For discussion: Have you ever been to a youth group where it seemed like “bringing friends” and growing the group was the one and only focus of the meeting?

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