An awkward arrival feels much less daunting when someone is already there to meet you. As the tiny rabbit tumbles from the tipped basket, the larger rabbit lowers its head for a gentle nose-to-nose greeting. Under the apple trees, the abundance that matters most is this immediate, unhurried welcome.
“Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”
Romans 15:7 (KJV)
Paul calls a community of believers to receive one another amid differences that could divide them. Christ’s welcome gives them both a reason and a pattern for their own. Belonging grows when people make room for one another with the generosity they have themselves received.
The meeting beside the basket offers an affectionate picture of that response. The little rabbit does not have to manage the new surroundings alone; another presence is close enough to make the first encounter gentler.
We can offer something similar when someone joins a group, enters an unfamiliar place, or returns after an absence. A greeting and a little patient attention can spare them the work of wondering whether they are wanted. May we notice those still finding their footing and meet them with kindness that helps them settle in.