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I’m examining how we can improve our ability to connect with others. I challenged you to see yourself as the host or hostess, the one who is responsible to make others feel comfortable, who takes the initiative to meet their needs and help in any way possible. For some of you, that means moving outside your comfort zone, I’m sure, but it is a way to show love and caring for people around you, which is our calling as believers in Christ.
Another important connection skill is to consider everyone significant, and to take the time to learn their names and call them by name. In your jobs and in your life, you will meet many people. Remember they are all significant to God, and therefore, they should be to you as well. Don’t overlook people. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you can do is smile and say hello.
Often people in service jobs wear nametags: waiters, waitresses, cleaning people, doormen. Make it a practice to look for nametags and then call people by name. And if they don’t have a nametag, take the time to ask, “What is your name?” In a world that is often cold and uncaring, something as simple as calling a person by name can bring warmth and a touch of love into that relationship, brief as it may be.
Some years ago, we began distributing magnetic nametags to all members and attenders at our church. What a difference that has made in helping us to connect with others at the church. People I’ve seen for years I now can connect with their name. It is truly amazing to see how much better we connect with each other simply because of those nametags—we can call each other by name.
If you determine to have a mindset that you are the host or hostess, and it is your job to find common ground with others and make them feel at ease, you will discover you talk less about yourself and focus more on others. Paul wrote to the Philippians we should count others more significant than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). How do you do that? Well, you have to be very intentional about it and pray God will give you both the desire and the power to do it.
It won’t always be easy. You’ll find with some people you have very little in common, but instead of giving up, look for that one thing that could open up a conversation and help you to connect.