I am an introvert. This, however, does not mean that I do not like people. I love people, I enjoy social interaction. Meeting new people is altogether exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. For me there’s this rush of learning all about a new person but along with that adrenaline is the unwanted anxiety that comes with every social situation.

I have this innate desire to ask people real questions—questions with depth—those that will let me see into who they are and what makes them tick. People intrigue me and one of the things I love most is understanding them. And some people adore questions like these.

However, the moment a question flaps its little wings, I squash its dreams of flying. I think that the person I’m talking with won’t want to answer the question or will think it’s dumb or doesn’t make sense or I’ll come up with some other anxiety induced excuse to not learn more about them or talk about something that will actually be worth both our times.

Then my awkwardness kicks in. Social situations bring out the wonderful qualities of stumbling over my words, not breathing when I speak, and coming across as a total dunce. This is why I am a writer.

But I still love people! I am learning that I cannot let fear weigh me down in social situations. I should not be afraid of what they might think about me or about something I might be saying or not saying—I should not be afraid because they are only a person just like I am. We all have our awkwardness and insecurities and things to leap over in life.

For me, it’s stepping out of my comfort zone to meet people and interact and go deeper in conversation without being worried of what could happen. Instead we should value those who are in front of us, never taking something as a coincidence, but rather using it to serve them and in our interactions make them more Christlike instead of trying to pull as much as we can from them.

Friends, I have a challenge for us. This week, let us reach out to somebody we’ve never met or talked to in our lives. Let us see what God has in store. Let us serve one another in love and grace and remember that all those around us are dearly loved by God.