A recent post inspired this thread. I would like to broach the subject lovingly.
Socially awkward people feel out of sync with those around them. The consequences of social awkwardness include:
- Rejection
- Unkind remarks
- Self-doubt (wondering if you've done something wrong)
- Difficulty making friends and dating
- Frequent difficulties in social situations
On the other hand, socially awkward people often:
- See things differently
- Tend to 'nerd out' about the things they love
- Are obsessed with understanding how things work
- Discover genetic inheritance (50% boys and 38% girls)
Questions
How can Christians support socially awkward brethren? For those struggling with social awkwardness, what do you wish others understood about your behavior?
Yours in His Service,
~Bella
I don't think social awkwardness is necessarily a bad thing, but it can be crippling to a varying extent depending on other dynamics. Most of us do very well in small groups, people we know and trust, people who have shown themselves to be
safe.
Interesting this thread should show up, since this is the second week in a row I've had to excuse myself before Sunday School because there were far too many people speaking at the same time and talking over each other that made it feel like I was thrust into a war zone with bombs going off and bullets flying every which way. This particular anecdote has more to the fact that I am a
Highly Sensitive Person, (HSPs are a different topic but they
do share some symptoms with social awkwardness or anxiety), but the topic of social anxiety came up last week during Sunday School, and perplexed several people
who had never heard of such a thing, and were having trouble wrapping their heads around it(!!).
Consideration for highly sensitive people or the socially awkward or anxious could be toning down the exuberance a notch or asking our opinion, thoughts, or advice on a matter, but gently and respectful of boundaries, ready to give grace if it is taken as a liberty. Thankfully in the last year or two, our church installed a wireless speaker in the back room to which mothers can whisk fussy children and I can sit and listen to the service in a stress-free environment.
Rather than viewing social awkwardness as a sort of disease requiring healing or a sin to be forsaken, perhaps examining each person to ascertain their unique strengths, and strategising on how these can be used in the Kingdom, would be a better option. Developing community with a group of a few safe people is also important.
I don't know why, because I'm not afraid. The only time I don't feel that way is around those I know. It must be the unknown that makes me feel awkward. In strange situations I don't know the bodily and facial cues or the turns of phrase that ttell me what the other person is thinking/hearing, perhaps. I don't know.
