Another instructive experience I had on that biking trip:  In a quaint little Dutch town on a Sunday, my friends and I wanted to go to church.  We somehow found information on when and where there would be a church service, but being American teens, we arrived at the small stone church three minutes late.  We could hear singing through the thick wooden door, but couldn’t open it.  When we knocked, an elderly gentleman opened the door; with gestures, we tried to indicate that we wanted to enter.  The man at the door shook his head and then firmly shut that thick wooden door, with us on the outside of it.

I will never forget that feeling of being shut out, unwelcome, solid wood inches from my face.  I never want to shut anyone else out of the presence of God with my own metaphorical door.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. Matthew 23:13