‘Meeting someone for the first time is like going on a treasure hunt. What wonderful worlds we can find in others!’ Edward E. Ford.
Is that your attitude when you meet someone? When you go to a new church or a party or a community group? Are you looking to connect with others and looking to find the positives and the good in them? Or do you go with a negative attitude, expecting people not to be friendly? Our attitude can so much affect the way we react to situations and to people and the way we treat them.
If we go expecting people to be friendly and welcoming, more often than not, they respond to that and they are. If we go with suspicion and negative vibes, expecting it to be an ordeal, people respond to that too. Our faces and body language can give so much of what e are thinking and feeling.
The secret lies in thinking about the other person instead of how we are feeling. If you’re feeling strange as you walk into a new church or party or gathering, then maybe other people are too. So keep an eye out for anyone who is standing on their own and go and stand next to them and introduce yourself. That’s what Jesus did. He engaged with people.
He met the woman at the well and was first to break the ice by asking her a question. He asked her for a drink of water, John 4:7. The fact that he spoke to her and asked a question asking for her help was enough to pique her curiosity. The rest of the conversation developed from there. So maybe an introduction could be, explaining it’s your first time and asking a question of the other person. They are likely to respond by telling you either they have been there for a long time or that they are new too. Either way, it will start you talking and getting to know each other.
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