Self-introductions

You’re in a social situation and you are by yourself. You need to get connected to what is happening but it is not like there is a caller at the door that introduces you. For some this might be a nightmare, for others it is no problem whatsoever.   It kind of depends on your personality type and the reason you are there. But self-introductions can be tricky.
 
For instance, what information do you include when you introduce yourself.? “Hi I’m Chris” has a nice general roll to it. But depending on the setting, it may not include enough information.  We often include our last names, but unless you are famous does that really help?  If my last name was Gates, Trump,  or something recognizable that might be vital information.  Do we include some kind of title?  I know when I am in a church setting “pastor” is helpful.  Not because I am pulling rank or something but rather because I want people to know how I belong here.  When I am duck hunting introducing myself as Pastor Chris doesn’t really come off right.
 
Then there is the ever difficult question of what do you do with your hands?  Extending your hand in a hand shake is often good but there are some situations where it is not.  If you come up on a circle of guys wearing camo sometimes just the head nod “How’s hunt’n?” works great, but an extend your hand kind of thing would just be weird. As a male I will confess I have no idea how women introduce themselves to each other, maybe I should see if there is a nature documentary on it.
 
Once you get past name, then what?  Often we try and connect through some kind of shared context.  “Yeah my little Jonnie is in the second row fourth over”  or “Yeah my kid plays 4thstring quarter back, he is right there on the bench”  or we begin sharing some kind of information about ourselves.  Things like job, title, how long we have lived here, marital status, children, grand-children,  etc etc. But all are intended to somehow connect our context to theirs so we have mutual ground on which we can interact and we can move toward the purpose in the introduction in the first place.
 
This week we will look at a great self-introduction. Absent are all the awkward decisions that we have to make.   It is done with style and even flare, and includes information not just for the one being introduced but for all of humanity as God introduces Himself to Moses. In it we see who God is and what he is up to, but we are also given a pattern which can help us introduce others to Him as well.
 
See you at church,
 
Pastor Chris