Talking To Strangers

Talking to Strangers

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Proverbs 25:11, ESV

My dad is someone who always seems comfortable chatting with strangers and friends alike—the clerk in the checkout line, the lady standing next to him in the produce aisle. He’ll call up an old friend he hasn’t seen in twenty years, just to say hello and shoot the breeze. He’s a born talker. Being somewhat shy myself, I’ve always admired this gift and skill. Although I try to smile and say hello to those I don’t know when I’m out in the community, it’s not always as effortless as I’d like it to be, and I’m always impressed when I see it modeled so well in others.

My mother-in-law, Elaine, has the same skill my dad does, always offering a friendly word to those around her. She explained to me that she learned it from her parents. When she was a little girl growing up in Michigan, she noticed how often her mother, Jean, said hello to people, and she asked her mom if she knew the people she said hi to. One day, when her mother was feeling philosophical, she explained why she always acted the way she did:

Say hello with a warm smile to at least three people you don’t know every day, whether you’re at the grocery store or the park or just walking down the street. You’ll never know if they need a smile or a kind word or encouragement at that moment. Just assume that they do.

I love that idea—assume that everyone needs a kind word, and be intentional with your compliments. Scripture tells us that an encouraging word is like an apple of gold—nourishing and valuable—and God makes it clear throughout the Bible that words have the power to heal or destroy. Something as simple as saying hello and offering a sincere compliment can impact someone far beyond the moment, just when they may need to hear it the most.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Say hello to three people you don’t know, and compliment a stranger regarding something you genuinely admire.