Awkward.
Awkward. It is a word that clouds my vocabulary these days. So often I find myself describing an event, or circumstance, or conversation as just this, awkward. What does this mean for something to be awkward? It is anything that is uncomfortable or abnormal or just plain different from anything that has happened before. I do no know when or where awkward became such a popular adjective but, at least for me, it is spoken and felt often.
As I was living an awkward moment the other day, I started to ponder the idea itself, of something being awkward. Why has almost everything become describable by this word? I realized there were two possible explanations. Either things really were just plain awkward, or maybe our perception of what really is awkward had changed.
Think back to when you were young. Do you ever remember a birthday party that you looked at the guest list and thought awkward? Or do you remember saying the "wrong" thing to your friend and feeling so awkward afterwards? I do not know if you have ever noticed, but little kids do not ever approach situations as being awkward. And they are that much more alive and in the moment as a result. Kids will pick their noses, say what they actually think, and run around naked without ever worrying about what other people think. Kids do not confine themselves in the boundaries of what is normal or abnormal. And as awkward as kids can be, they do not seem to mind one bit.
We constantly hear that God calls us to be childlike in faith. I think that this idea can apply to our approach of awkward too. Sure, from time to time things might actually be seriously AWKWARD, and that is ok. But, I think our tendency to flee from awkward can hinder our full on embracing of God. When the threats of things being abnormal or uncomfortable haunt us, we cannot be fully alive for Christ. Being childlike means letting go of what other people think and sometimes it means making choices without worrying about the outcome. Ultimately it means doing what you feel and not over analyzing it.
We could spend our whole lives feeling awkward. And maybe we will. But maybe the things we define as awkward are really just new and different. Those things that we have never experienced before are how we grow. When we find ourselves in a situation we feel like we cannot handle or that we cannot necessarily understand, we must turn to God completely. Whatever situation approaches, we should not be afraid or worried or left feeling weird. Instead we should be strong in knowing that God brought us there for a reason. A child does not worry about the world around them or what tomorrow brings, they just trust from moment to moment. A child is alive and God calls us to be the same.
The next time you find yourself thinking things got awkward, remind yourself of the moments you had as a kid. Would the child in you think it was awkward? Or would they take it as another moment to embrace life?
God gives us so many beautiful opportunities to grow and learn. Do not let AWKARD stop you from experiencing them!
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