Stranger Danger

Why do rough and though sound so different when they have the same last four letters?

So I noticed a few things in life that are extremely awkward:
1. When someone you're eavesdropping on says something really funny
2. When you're walking toward someone and you both know you're going to say hi to each other, but you're   too far away to say it yet, so you just avert your gaze until they're within greeting range and then act surprised to see them
3. Here at MSU, there are a lot of places that have two sets of doors in a row. So when someone holds the first door, you say thank you, and then when you get to the second door, its more like just like an incomprehensible mumble that resembles thanks because you clearly can't thank them twice in a row for the same thing.

This brings me to another thought. One day, I was walking toward the door and saw someone else walking in from the other side. So like any reasonable person, I opened the door for him and let him walk through first. But then, I got no eye contact, no nod of appreciation, and no thanks for my efforts. I immediately wrote him off as a jerk and was somewhat annoyed by his lack of manners. Later, however, I realized that I had been opening doors so that I would receive thanks, not solely to serve others. Its good to check or motivations in doing things, so that we may do them with a right heart.

So this semester has been a little more difficult than the last one. I actually have to do homework in my math classes which is somewhat of a foreign concept as the homework in my math classes for the past few years has been optional. Hopefully this will help me learn better though. I'm surprised by how much of the grades are determined by tests. This makes the classes a lot more stressful, but still manageable. I didn't get the psychology research assistant job I was looking at because I couldn't fit their schedule, so I applied for one in statistics, but I think I was under qualified so I don't think I got it. So its back to looking, but honestly, I'm not looking forward to actually getting a job, especially since I got accidentally paid for it last semester, so I have to work this semester for free. I just finished reading Crazy Love, a wonderful book! I highly recommend it, although its not for those who are satisfied with living in lukewarm Christianity. I'm starting The Reason for God by Timothy Keller, for which I am extremely excited. I started reading theological books this fall, and now I'm absorbed because there are so many wonderful ones!

So one thing that I've been wrestling with is meeting new people. Hands down, one of my biggest fears. Approaching people has also been a challenge for me, especially people of authority, girls, and scary people. But I don't understand quite why, especially with strangers. So suppose you're in an elevator and someone walks on, someone you've never seen before and will probably never see again. What do you do? Probably absolutely nothing. What's preventing you from growling at them, then pressing all the buttons, and running off laughing maniacally. They'll never see you again. It'd be pretty funny. But I think something in us wants their respect. Either that or we're all so absorbed in ourselves that we don't even acknowledge them. Why can't we strike up a conversation with them? It could be an opportunity to share the gospel even. Yet we never even try. I think we need to overcome our natural wiring, that aims at protecting us from the unknown, from strangers, from people who could need someone to talk to, from souls that need to be saved. I think, we all need to become more stranger friendly.