Every day I travel to and through some very dangerous neighborhoods, in both larger towns and very rural areas, to do my job. It’s a part of what I do. It is unavoidable. I learned very early on to not be daunted by it, but rather to stand up to fear with an air of confidence instead. It’s obvious to me now that people view you differently when you walk and talk with authority and purpose. They’re curious what you’re up to and think you must be on some important mission, or just plain crazy, and think they better not jack with you, just in case.
I joked with a new-hire yesterday about this tactic that I use when I face a dangerous situation and he had a look of doubt on his face, as I told him of some of the scenarios I’ve encountered over the years. Within minutes, a very rough looking man with gang symbols and words tattooed on his arms and hands approached us inside of a store, on his way to the cooler. As he came closer, he proclaimed to us that, “Jesus loves us and he wished God‘s blessings on us.“
I watched as the new rep stood silently smiling. Boldly, I answered back to the man, “Thank you, Jesus loves you, too.” The man walked closer to me, where I sat working on my computer at a back corner lunch table. He smiled broadly and said he noticed that my license plate on my car had the same letters that he had tattooed on his fingers, which apparently represented his favorite liquor, but that’s beside the point. He reached out his hand to fist bump me, so I extended my hand and bumped him right back.  The man laughed and walked away, as I too laughed and said to my coworker,
“See, I told you, every move you make, is noticed. Even when you don’t know someone is watching. He knew the car I was driving and even my license plate. I’ve been in here for a very long time and he just came in.”
The world is watching us for signs and signals of both confidence and approachability. This man knew I was not afraid of him or the burned out neighborhood I was sitting in. Our body language gives us away to the world, either opening doors or closing them, to what might come next. Yes, we must be vigilant, cautious and discerning for safety’s sake, aware of all the dangers lurking. But also, 
walking confidently into our missions in life, taking our blinders off to the people around us, no matter where we are, quite possibly giving others hope and confidence, through our own.
You don’t know who you’ll encounter in a day’s work…whatever that looks like for you, whatever neighborhood you travel….that you can connect with. This man had a message of Jesus to boldly share, no matter what he, or I, look like on the outside. To me, that’s a lesson we can all learn from. Even if you’re not fist bumping a gangster, you can smile big and fist bump the people placed in your life. He blessed my day and I hope that in turn, I blessed his, as well.
Here’s to fist- bumping strangers, in unexpected ways.
A FRUITFUL LEGACY 