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You're Welcome

Writer's picture: Trent GriffithTrent Griffith

Updated: Jan 30

Shortly after I walk over the welcome mat, I’m greeted with the words, “Welcome home”. I say, “Thanks”, to which I hear “You’re welcome.” We throw the word “welcome” around so much we may have lost its meaning. 

But what if the words, “welcome home” meant more than an acknowledgement that a family member has walked through your front door? I’m learning that a culture of welcome can transform relationships into a safe harbor where masks drop, walls fall, and real love flourishes (bed head, morning breath, and all).

I remember how welcomed I felt when my kids were little and I would come home after being away from them all day. They would stop what they were doing and come running from wherever they were to greet me. One kid would jump in my arms while two others wrapped themselves around each leg as I continued to walk through the entryway with the gait of a Frankenstien’s monster. 

But when they were teens, my approval ratings must have dropped. Not only did they not welcome me home, I’m not sure they minded that I had been gone. Undeterred, I went looking for them. When I found them I would wrap myself around their legs in an attempt to invade spaces where I previously felt welcomed.

No bible verse has had more impact on me this year than Romans 15:7. “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” In a previous post, I articulated the power wrapped up in the word “as”. It is the connector between the immeasurable welcome that Christ has given us and his command to welcome others. 

Welcome is far more than southern hospitality. “Bless your heart” is not a welcome. 

The etymology reveals a deeper meaning: it comes from Old English "wilcuma," combining "wil" (pleasure) and "cuma" (guest), literally meaning "one whose coming is pleasing." This ancient root reminds us that welcome isn't just about politeness – it's about genuine pleasure in another's presence.

To welcome means to greet someone joyfully, to receive them with open arms, to create an environment where someone can arrive just as they are without fear of rejection. It could be as simple as a warm smile that meets a stranger, an open door that hosts a friend, or a gesture that says "you belong here." Every act of welcome moves the relationship closer and deeper.

Welcome is a sacred act of creating space for another – not just physical space, but emotional and spiritual space as well. To welcome someone is to meet a creation longing in the human heart - the longing for belonging and acceptance.

Welcome is the difference between a house and a home, an acquaintance and a friend, between a room and a place of worship.

Every act of welcome is risky because it’s an offer that elicits a response. It’s a summons to meet together. It’s an invitation to come closer and enter in. It’s a bid to drop your guard. We are declaring, “This is a safe, inviting, and enjoyable place where you are invited to come closer.”

If someone dares to extend a welcome to you, don't take it for granted. They took a risk. They put themselves in a place of vulnerability. They risked rejection to communicate how much they value you. So, don’t just stand there. Move toward them with equally vulnerable hope that you are actually loved.

What if we learned to welcome our spouses and kids home after a tough day at work or school with a welcome that communicated “you are seen, heard, and valued.” What if they could know, even in the midst of a conflict, you are safe, accepted, and loved – even the parts they would rather try to hide. 

That’s the power of welcome. Grateful for the insight? You’re welcome. 

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