Are You an Approachable Person? — Morning Devotions

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Transcript

You know what it’s like… you enter a room full of strangers, not knowing anyone. You stand alone. Suddenly someone approaches you with a friendly handshake and a warm word of welcome. Yeah, things change. You don’t feel so isolated and awkward. Now I’ve had that happen to me because I find it difficult to start a conversation with a stranger, and I think all of us feel a bit like that, unless of course you’re an extrovert. Being approachable is all about being friendly, open, and welcoming.

People who are described as approachable tend to make other people feel comfortable and are good at getting others to open up. After all, we were created by God to mix and interact with others. Of course, some are better at this than others. I read this quote the other day, which I found fascinating.

The biggest thing we can do to help people feel comfortable around us is to truly be comfortable with ourselves.

How interesting.

Are you comfortable in your own skin? Do you have the confidence to talk to strangers because you have something interesting to say? Each of us can make a valuable contribution to conversations, to life, because we’re on a journey. My story is unique, it’s different to yours, but being at peace with yourself will make it easier to approach others. By liking yourself more and knowing your strengths and weaknesses, you make people feel comfortable being around you because being self-aware puts you more at ease.

And that’s what the psychologists say anyway.

There is a Christian principle here that we should consider for a moment. It was the great writer CS Lewis who said, Don’t shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you others can see Him.

Now he was referring to God, and your life can be such a shining example of being a Godly person that others will immediately notice something different about you. They’ll probably be intrigued by your smile, your generosity and kindness. You show sincerity and an openness that others like. Every day Christians are under a spotlight. People are watching our actions. They are listening to our words to see if they align with our beliefs.

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Some do this out of genuine curiosity, while others might be more critical. But being approachable is crucial because we’re meant as Christians to be light of the world. As Matthew 5 says, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. These are the words of Jesus to his followers back then, and it applies now.

We are standing out as different, shining in the darkness of our world. This world is full of darkness. We don’t have to continue walking on that path. Our light shines as brightly as our faith allows. If we don’t shine our light, the darkness will continue.

What makes us an approachable neighbour?

To shine even brighter and share God’s grace with the world, it makes sense that we need to be approachable people. Showing friendship to others sounds like a simple thing to do, but it’s not really. In 1914, the American poet Robert Frost wrote a poem called Mending Wall, in which he made a statement that’s become quite popular. He said, Good fences make good neighbours. But I wonder if that’s really true.

What he was saying was that good fences make good neighbours because people get along better when their personal space and privacy are respected. If you live on a farm and you don’t want the sheep from the other property wandering in, that makes a lot of sense. But for most of us, a fence is simply a barrier that separates and isolates us from our neighbour. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to ignore our neighbour.

What about the walls we build to keep others out? We build a wall around our time and activities and our hearts. We build a fortress of solitude. On the other hand, you’ll be amazed at what can happen if you let people in not only into your home, but into your heart as well. Jesus was the most approachable person that we know. Read the gospel stories, and you’ll see how he easily mixed with others. He always showed that he cared deeply for ordinary people. He had great patience even with those who didn’t deserve it.

In his three-year ministry, he interacted with adults, children, Jews, Gentiles, men and women, the religious, the irreligious, the healthy, and the sick. He spoke to people who were considered unclean or untouchable. He engaged in conversations with women, tax collectors, and with lawyers. Jesus had conversations with people and in ways that made those around him scratch their heads. He worked hard to reach those who needed him and his healing touch and words.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, help me today to be an approachable person. Someone that understands the feelings of others.

It is easy, Lord, to misjudge people and to put up a barrier when we should be extending a hand of friendship and a welcome to people. Help me to be more like Jesus. I pray in His name. Amen.

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