The attitude and mindset we approach a situation with has an incredible amount of sway over the outcome.

For example, if we wake up in the morning thinking that the day is going to be horrible, we are prone to look for everything negative to validate our opinion.

If we wake up in the morning looking forward to all of the amazing things that will happen, we tend to focus more on the positive aspects of the day.

A phrase I heard this past week reminded me of this simple concept in the most jarring way.

What if each new person we interacted with each day was thought of as “a friend you’ve yet to meet”?

What if each new person was approached with the anticipation that they would become a lifelong friend?

What if each new person you interacted with was someone you expected to get to know and have over for dinner?

How would your conversations change when you are out running errands? How would they change when you accidentally bump into someone or they bump into you? Would you be kinder and more patient?

Would you act in a more loving way and act in a way that shows you care? Would you take time to ask questions if they looked like they were having a bad day or were super excited?

We have a tendency to walk through each day more or less oblivious to the people who are around us.

Our eye might be caught by brightly colored clothing or our ear by some strange noise, but otherwise, those around us remain complete strangers.

We stand in lines with them in the store, we work out beside them in the gym, and we sit with them in waiting rooms, but mostly we are just biding our time until we can finish and move along with our day.

It’s interesting how time and time again Jesus didn’t act in that way.

He stopped. He listened. He invited himself over for dinner.

Jesus called people to follow him often in the most unexpectedly kind and friendly ways.

The woman at the well was shocked when Jesus actually had a conversation with her.

Zacchaeus was shocked when Jesus told him that he would be over for dinner that evening.

The leper was shocked when Jesus actually touched him to heal him.

It was unlikely people who were not in the greatest of situations but Jesus saw an opportunity to show love and kindness.

He saw an opportunity for a relationship to be formed. He saw an opportunity for a life to be changed.

Jesus, “the friend of sinners,” is approaching each and every one of us with kindness and compassion seeking for our relationship with Him to begin or continue to grow deeper.

Let us respond likewise with those around as we encounter all of the friends we’ve yet to meet.

People’s EC Church is located at 216 Wagner St. in Weissport.