Have you ever attended a gathering and you’re the only one over-dressed? Gosh, it feels all eyes are on you as soon as you enter the room. Last weekend, I took my decked-to-the-nines 10 year old to a Christmas party. It was the first time she had been to this friend’s home and her nerves and excitement had been building for a week. She looked beautiful in her black lace dress and red velvet shrug. As we walked in, Ava inched behind me with her hands clutched as she realized all the other girls were wearing jeans. Mom fail #2,847!
This got me thinking about all the firsts we experience
throughout our lives. Walking into a new school. Entering a social event to
find cliques have already been made. Visiting a church seeking food for the
soul but not knowing one. We all have a first time for everything. For some, it
can attack us with anxiety. But maybe it’s not first encounters that you find
difficult. Maybe it’s the 300th and yet still feel as though you don’t
belong. Awkward moments and
uncomfortable situations can have us scouting for a sandbox to bury our heads
in or worse make us question why we bother trying at all.
Human beings have a tendency to cozy up with comfort. Why? Well, it’s just that – comfortable. Familiarity breeds security. However, at some point, we are all pulled out of our comfort zones. When that happens, whether it’s our choosing or not, unfamiliar territory can birth uncertainty. It's so important for us to remember those feelings so that when those around us experience them, we can reach out to help.
All throughout the accounts of Jesus, we read that He
welcomed ALL. No matter the background, their talent or if they wore designer
sandals. Jesus not only welcomed others but He invested in them. As Christians,
we are called to imitate Christ. Paul tells us to welcome one another as Christ
has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7) I can’t help but
wonder what it would look like today if Jesus was visibly here and walking on
this Earth. I envision Him having coffee and doughnuts with outcasts among
other things.
Back to my story…things turned out wonderfully for my
daughter that night. She made new friends, took silly pictures and ran so much
her shoe broke. By the end of that evening, she had totally forgotten she was
the only girl in a dress. All of this happened because someone chose to step out of their circle to help her step in.
Food for Thought:
When is the last time you did something for the
first time? How did it make you feel? Did anyone befriend you?
In what ways can you help someone feel loved and accepted?
