Finding the Best in Everyone We Meet

Unconventional Work Habits, Business Ethics, and Career Building – Part 1

Finding the Best in Everyone We Meet

What’s the first reaction you have when you meet someone new?  I’m not surprised at why we place such a great emphasis on making great 1st impressions.  I used to think it’s because we may not get an opportunity to make another impression, so we dress ourselves up and tell the best stories and experiences our lives provide.

Common finds the negatives, the “what-I-don’t-like” about a person.  
Finding the negative in a person is easy. Ordinary, common people generally look for the “what-I-don’t-like” about a person when they meet them.  We’ve developed an auto response system to see the flaws in others. We see and say things like:

I don’t like her attitude.
I hate his shoes.
Why does she wear her hair that way?
What was he thinking when he got dressed this morning?

At times, I am guilty of this myself; it’s the normal, negative response system that we have.  Let me share an example, one Sunday while talking with my family after leaving our 8 a.m. church service, I noticed 2 guys heading in for the 9:30 service.  My first response was…what went through their minds when they decided they were going to church this morning. One of the guys had on all white with an urban ball cap. Pamela, my wife, says Kerry at least they’re going to church.  I replied, I just want to know what went through their minds while getting dressed for service.
My point here is that naturally, we all lean towards saying and seeing what is common in people.

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There are unique differences to be found in everyone.
The reason it’s normal to locate the differences in others is because it stands out from what we are and see in ourselves.  When we notice something in a person that’s unlike what or who we are, it sticks out like a sore thumb…but only to us.  Others are not impacted in the same way about the very same thing.  Someone else will have a different view.  You know why their view is different, it’s different because we are all created to be unique.

Unfortunately, we are taught and have learned to frown upon our differences rather than embrace them.  Embracing our differences isn’t easy.  You can see this played out in the form of sexism, racism, and even in disabilities or extreme giftedness.  Society is out to make average attractive.

Just like every person has a unique fingerprint, so unique that no other person has the same, so we were all created with unique skills, talents, crafts and purposes.  We were designed to be different, yet we have and are forced to be a like. Is it so surprising to know that you were designed to be unlike anyone else on the planet or in history for that matter?  It’s what makes you, what God calls you, a masterpiece.  Today, I want to help free you from the forces that try to eliminate your uniqueness.

How can we use our uniqueness to our advantage?
I ask myself what’s the benefit of knowing that I was designed different than anyone else?  This question helped me understand me better. I’ve come to know that it’s okay that others don’t always understand me or even like who I am, what I do or what I represent.

Embracing this thought has helped me to see every human-being, past, present and future as a gift given to us from our creator.  The goal then becomes finding that gift in those around me and to tell you the truth I like it and am getting very good at it.

Learn how to identify the best in everyone we meet!
Finding what is positive and even the best in someone can be difficult at first. The saying “no pain, no gain” is perfect in this scenario. Just like exercising, this is a skill that must be sharpened.  It won’t just be handed to you, you must work for it.  I know what you’re thinking, Kerry you haven’t met my cousin have you?  There’s no way that guy can be a gift to anyone.  I’d like you to reconsider this, you have to find the gift, his treasure.  I didn’t say it would be sitting on the surface, you might just have to dig for it or even drill. Remember the person might not see it either.

As I conclude, just for today, here’s a practice that I’ve had for years now.  Every time I meet someone I look for the good, I look for the best in that person. I figure if I don’t find that piece that is their gift, it’s like I never met them in the first place.  I want to meet and help draw out that masterpiece God created them to be.

Challenge: Leave us a comment that tells us what your unique gift is.

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