Imagine that you are walking into a store right now and all around you are people that you know plus many that you don’t know. How do you engage these people? This question also applies to your work place, restaurants and even the place of worship that you attend.
a polite word or sign of welcome or recognition
The Progression of the Greet
The Blank Stare - You act like you don’t see the person and look the other way or turn and leave says either 1) you don’t like person, 2) you are mad at the person (classic stone-walling), or 3) you were never taught to be polite.
The Wordless Nod or The Kind Smile - You give a kind nod and/or a smile and keep walking says that your parents taught you to acknowledge the presence of others, but you don’t have to engage unless you want to.
Hey, how are you? - You then keep walking not waiting for the reply says that you are being kind but don’t really care to engage in a conversation and you also don’t want to take the time to really know how the person is doing - so why ask?
Hey! - You add a smile and a wave but keep walking says that you are happy to see that person but really in a hurry and just can’t stop to visit.
Heyyyy, how are you!!?? - You physically stop your body and turn towards the person and make some small talk and then go about your way says that you value this person and want them to know it.
(Say the person’s name with a high pitched voice), what are you doing??? — you rush over, do the dancing hug and talk until you realize so much time went by that now you will be late for whatever you are suppose to be doing says that this is one of your people.
Of course this is my take on greeting, but we cannot make a difference in this world if we don’t engage with it. I can’t place a number on the amount of smiles and kind words from others that have changed the course of my day over the years. This is so important to me — so much in fact — that I make sure to always smile, nod, wave or stop to speak. It may also be why I don’t go to the store often because it could turn in to a major event for the day.
The Bible is full of so many types of greetings. Some of them are strange if used in modern times, but one I absolutely love.
“Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” NLT ♥️
Don’t you just love this? I wish I had an alarm clock that would say this verse to me every single morning. Imagine just how your day would go after hearing that. Words and gestures mean things. Words and gestures stay with us all day. Words and gestures can change a life if only for a day. How are you using your words and gestures to engage with the world?