Introductions

Shortly after my husband and I were married, we moved to a new town to begin work in youth ministry. As we acclimated to the culture, there were many parties, get-togethers, and events that gave us the opportunity to meet people. As my husband and I made our rounds I began to notice that, despite the fact that he was holding my hand, when meeting someone for the first time, he would only introduce himself and not me. At first I thought it was just his nerves and quietly pointed it out to him when we were alone later that evening; the next night it happened again…over and over. I asked him about it again one night after a particularly long party and he laughed and shrugged it off.

This past weekend my college campus minister was in town. My husband and I met him for breakfast before I brought him back to the church so he could meet with one of my co-workers. As we walked in the front door, I saw one of my fellow ministers and immediately introduced them, feeling proud that I remembered to make the introduction. I sat while they chit-chatted, feeling proud that I remembered to introduce them, when I heard my campus minister introduce himself to one of the church members standing in the lobby with us. Aaaack! I hadn’t even noticed her standing there and I had inadvertently done exactly what Travis had done to me right after we were first married. As we headed upstairs, he told me how much he would like to meet our Senior Minister’s executive assistant, having dealt with her quite a bit on the trip. As we exited the elevator, I saw her and called out, “There she is! Campus minister meet executive assistant.” I smiled, feeling pretty good about myself when I heard the woman at the front desk introduce herself. Uggggggh! How did I miss her?

What is wrong with me? Am I really that bad at introductions or am I just too caught up in patting myself on the back that I don’t even notice that I am engaged in the same oblivious behavior that my new hubby displayed? I think sometimes that we are so quick to correct, to judge, or to blow off another person’s actions when we aren’t behaving any better than said person. What is the plank in your eye?

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”
Matthew 6:41-42

Your thoughts?