Gandhi's Introduction to Christianity

Gandhi had heard about Christianity as a college student and wanted to learn about it, so he slipped into the back of a church. An usher greeted him with the words, "I'm sorry, but we don't allow black people here."

Years later in a speech, Gandhi said, "That usher was only doing his job and he thought he was ushering a colored man out of church, but actually he was ushering India out of the British Empire."

If that usher had been sensitive to the Holy Spirit that day, he surely would have sensed an inner hesitancy, a check in His Spirit. But we too often we follow the patterns that we've always followed without allowing the Spirit to guide us. There may be immense consequences when we allow rigid ideas or traditions to choose our words rather then the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is with us always as our Counselor. There may be someone in our home or our office for whom our word of encouragement might make an eternal difference. And there may be someone in our lives for whom a harsh word might be the last straw.

Dear Jesus, I want You to guide my words, attitudes, and thoughts this day.
 
"For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it" (John 12:49).


By Aletha Hinthorn