Have we met?

So, my daughter is dreadfully shy. If you know me IRL you may here me calling her my "brave girl," mostly because I do believe that kids will live up to what you expect of them. The more I apologized for her in public, telling people "she's just so shy," the more she seemed to stuff her head in my thigh and refuse to speak when spoken to. So I have started calling her my brave girl, hoping it will build her confidence and help her learn that she doesn't have to shy away from every new person she encounters. We'll see if it helps...

Meanwhile my eyes have been opened (thanks God) to my own way of greeting people, especially those I don't know. It came from many angles, from MOPs, from church Leadership Team, from work... you know how it is, God realizes he isn't getting your attention with a subtle clue and so He hits you from every major area in your life. :) So anyway, I realized that I tend to gravitate towards those I know well, look for familiar faces when I enter a room, and head towards and chat with those I am most comfortable with. Sure, it seems natural enough, and even sounds okay. But I realized that it isn't okay. First of all, I am supposed to be a leader in all of those areas. Which means that I am responsible for making people who don't know anyone (or even who don't know many people) feel welcomed and comfortable. How am I welcoming people if I'm only talking to the people I know best? Chances are if I know them well, then they probably know several, if not many, other people well too. I shouldn't be out to satisfy my own comfort or search for my own "safe zone." I should be reaching out to people I don't know, getting to know their stories, making them feel welcomed and comfortable. I should be making new connections and facilitating connections between people that wouldn't have otherwise have been discovered.

And beyond my responsibility to offer hospitality on behalf of the organization that I am representing, I need to SHOW my daughter what it means to be welcoming. I need to model friendliness and confident cordiality. If she sees me making a beeline to the people I always talk to, shying away from new faces, walking by those I've not met, how will she ever know how to graciously greet an unfamiliar face? How will she know how to introduce herself to someone new? How will she see Jesus's penchant for welcoming the unnoticed and including the overlooked modeled in my behavior? Because when it comes down to it, that is what I want, right? I want my children to see Jesus through me. I want them to learn to be like Him in all that they do. And I want the rest of the world to see Him too.

So. If I've never formally greeted you I apologize. I'm sorry, have we met? I'm Rachel. It is so nice to see you here!