Personal Mission Field/Conversation

Speech which is devoid of self-praise is a great gift of God, as also is being ever eager to do the will of the King. Humility is not unbecoming or harmful to those who are worthy of it.

  - Cormac mac Ciolionain, Rule (Irish, 10th century)

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

  - Proverbs 27.2

I will tell you frankly that I have little patience for people who dominate conversations with talk about themselves - what they've learned, what they're doing, whom they know, where they've been, what they've read lately, and so on, ad nauseum.

A conversation flourishes best when the participants help one another to be involved, when they draw one another out to engage the subject at hand together, as partners in a journey of discovery. This is done by asking questions, listening attentively, following-up on comments and contributions, and putting our own views in such a way as to allow others to "try them on" for themselves.

Conversation is hard work, but you can't be an effective witness for Christ without improving your ability to talk with others. The Scriptures have much to say about how we should use our tongues, and all this teaching and advice can help us to be the kind of conversationalists people enjoy talking to, and more than that, from whom they gain real edification.

But conversations grow out of relationships. Before we can engage the people around us in serious conversations, we'll have to take the time to get to know them, and to show them that we regard them highly, care about them truly, and are interested in getting to know them better.

Jesus was a master conversationalist. I think we're only given summaries of His conversations with such people as Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. But He engaged people genuinely, deeply, and was able to help them discover new things about themselves and, more importantly, about Him.

And that should be the object of all our conversations - to represent Christ and His love, truth, compassion, and healing power. Becoming a good conversationalist begins in prayer, takes shape in relationships, proceeds with grace, and drives toward Jesus as the ultimate object of every conversation.

Who is much, much more interesting than any of us.

Today at The Fellowship

Do you fear the Lord? You should, and the danger of pornography is just one reason why. Check out today's ReVision.

Next month we launch our Campaign for Christian Literacy. Why not get a headstart on the program by emailing today's Crosfigell to several friends. Copy me in the address line, and I'll write to them, too.

T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.