...potential adversary? Obviously this can be a "what if", or a "it depends" kind of question, but try to think in general. Think of someone new to your work or your school, or a new neighbor, or the reverse, if you're the new one at a new school, a new workplace, a new neighborhood, and you're meeting all these new people for the first time.
I was just thinking about this today, because I remember when I started my current job, even though the people were very nice to me, I was very suspicious of their motives. I remember I saw them more as rivals I was competing with for hours and recognition, I found some of them intimidating and suspicious, one I was convinced hated me and was trying to get me fired right out of the starting gates. I think I went in expecting to be steamrolled, or at least that they would try to steamroll me, and was a bit taken aback by the welcome mat they seemed to put out for me. All very good people I'm happy to count as friends now. But, when I think back, God, what does that really say about me?
I was just thinking about this today, because I remember when I started my current job, even though the people were very nice to me, I was very suspicious of their motives. I remember I saw them more as rivals I was competing with for hours and recognition, I found some of them intimidating and suspicious, one I was convinced hated me and was trying to get me fired right out of the starting gates. I think I went in expecting to be steamrolled, or at least that they would try to steamroll me, and was a bit taken aback by the welcome mat they seemed to put out for me. All very good people I'm happy to count as friends now. But, when I think back, God, what does that really say about me?