Making Way

Opening the door for someone has become a divisive issue for some people. I never understood this, any more than I understood (or didn’t understand) complimenting people I didn’t know. I was in a restaurant a short time ago and watched a young woman, the maître d’, as she was managing a large line of people, resetting table sizes for larger groups, and guiding waiters and waitresses to accommodate the customers. She was brilliant. As I left the restaurant, I realized she was just checking her book and not in the midst of talking with someone, so I put my hand on her shoulder, leaned into her ear as I passed, and said, “You are really good at your job.” I looked back at her as I passed and she was just beaming and said, “Thanks!” I’ll tell someone they have a great outfit on, or their hair looks great (you can imagine I admire great hair), or they have a terrific smile, just as I pass by on my way to whatever I’m doing. Men or women, little boys and girls, it doesn’t really matter to me. I just congratulate them on a choice or their nature. I’ve been told to stop. I’ve been told that people will assume wrong things about me or be intimidated or put off or whatever. And I stopped, for a while. But then, it just seemed ridiculous to me, so I plowed on and people seemed to always appreciate my words. I do this because I believe in Jesus. I believe that Jesus loves all the people of the world, and I believe I’m supposed to let them know that in whatever way I can. Making someone feel good about themselves seems to me to be a way to help them make their way through the world. Maybe it’s also a prompt from the Holy Spirit into their lives, letting them know they’re not alone. Let’s be trustworthy in building community in every way we can. Blessings, Geoff