Editor’s Note: The following is a reprint of a letter to the editor that was originally published in the May 10 edition of the Washington Daily News.

To the Editor:

In Wednesday’s Sound Off column, someone complained about a man wearing a baseball cap while attending the concert at First Baptist Church. I debated on whether to respond since I am not the person that wore the cap, nor a spokesperson from that church.

Here’s my question to the person complaining … Were you blessed by the concert or were you focused on the cap? Were you thankful that the man wearing the cap attended the service, and did you make sure to make him feel welcome? Did you pray out of a heart of love for him? Did you invite him back, and ask him to sit with you?

Tony Campolo, Christian author and educator, asked his class on one occasion, “What did Jesus think when he saw the prostitute Mary Magdalene?” There was silence for a while, then one student correctly answered, “He didn’t see a prostitute, He saw a person.”

It would do us all well to see people as Jesus sees them, rather than look at people through eyes of criticism.

Maybe our churches would be fuller and more exciting if we thought and acted more like the Savior who saw us beyond our own failures.

STEVE ATKINS

Chocowinity