Howdy Doody Time

Back in television’s more innocent era, a red-haired, freckled puppet dominated children’s programming. “Howdy Doody,” who took his name from the Western-style greeting, wore cowboy clothes and had the voice of “Buffalo Bob” Smith. He and his cohorts (like Clarabell the Clown) were most popular in the 1950s. We’re talking my childhood, although I was more a fan of the “Sheriff John,” a Los Angeles-area children’s program. I’d forgotten about the cowboy puppet until one morning at church, when someone greeted me with, “Howdy Doody!” I had to smile and start a conversation.

Like many churches, mine has volunteer “greeters” at entrances. You’d think only outgoing people would take on that role, but a recent article in our church newsletter told me otherwise.

This woman, the article said, considered herself shy, “and in years past has wondered many times why people didn’t make more of an effort to greet her or get to know her. One day she realized that she needed to be the one to initiate conversations and make contact with people. And that’s the day she was done with waiting for someone else to start the conversations.”

Another part of her story was more than a decade of intense emotional pain after her husband died. The article continued, “She learned from experience that isolation is deadly when we are in crisis. Learning to reach out was part of her journey toward healing.”

Thus, she volunteered to greet.

However you say it—“Howdy doody,” “Hello,” “Hi,” “Welcome,” “How are you? My name is…”—those first words are the key to breaking down barriers with strangers. Just the effort to reach out, rather than waiting for others to reach out first, is nothing less than imitating the example of the Lord Jesus.

I think that’s why I’m especially drawn to the Gospel of Mark. Matthew and Luke slide into the story of Jesus via his birth. John begins with theological heavies about “The Word.” But Mark, after introducing John the Baptist, jumps into accounts of the Lord immediately mixing with people, calling men to be His disciples and healing multitudes. Jesus didn’t stand back thinking, “Nobody’s friendly down here on earth. Father, take me back to Heaven, ASAP.” He pursued what He came to do, and that was showing us the Father and then dying so that we can have fellowship with a holy, loving God—now and in eternity.

In the past, “shrinking violet” may have described my behavior around folks at church. I began to see it as a selfish attitude, and sought ways to reach out. Certain people I want to greet with a holy hug (my version of “holy kiss”—1 Cor. 16:20), like a special-needs person my age whose parents died long ago. I know that means a lot to her. I touch base with others for prayer updates.

And I confess that I’ve let “greeting” spill over into everyday life. When I go through a checkout when shopping, I try to genuinely greet the clerk and offer some sort of positive remark. I may be just one of hundreds he or she serves that day, but I want our minute or so to be a bright spot in the day. I think Jesus would do the same.

So, ready for your “Howdy doody” challenge?