Conversation

God and Reason (16)

For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 1 Corinthians 14.31

Reason and conversation
I think one of the most overlooked teachings of the New Testament is that Christians should encourage one another, and encouraging one another requires words and deeds, thoughtfully considered. In our text, Paul incorporates such activity into a normal service of worship where, as Christians speak encouragement to one another, praise and thanks to God would surely increase. Such encouragement requires reason, carefully applied.

Elsewhere, Paul mentions that Christians should speak with one another for the purpose of mutual edification: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Eph. 4.29). The words that transpire between Christians, when they are aimed at grace and edification, can encourage us in spiritual growth and ministry, including how we think about our calling and therefore how we reason. 

Talking with our fellow believers provides opportunities to stimulate one another to love and good works (Heb. 10.24). Indeed, we should think ahead to—“consider”—our conversations, planning just how we may encourage others in a way that makes sense and bears fruit.

Obviously, Christians talk with one another for a good many reasons: to share news, inform and advise, express a word of love, pass along information, and more. But, since believers are God’s agents of grace in the world, the means whereby His grace spreads to more and more people (2 Cor. 4.15), we should make the most of our opportunities for conversation, thinking ahead to them, listening thoughtfully, and speaking whatever of grace, edification, and encouragement the Lord may put on our mind. 

Speaking and conversing with other believers is another way we can exercise and enrich our reasoning skills. In conversations we not only want to be heard and understood but also to hear and understand. And that makes it necessary that we engage conversations thoughtfully, rationally, and with a view to encouraging our brethren and honoring the Lord (1 Cor. 10.31). The more we do so, the stronger our conversational skills—including reason—will become.

Elements of conversation
If we think about what goes into a good conversation, we can see how talking with other believers can be useful not only for using reason but for improving it as well. I want to mention three components in particular.

First, we must think about what we want to say. Are we clear about this? Have we thought through what we want to share or ask? What the purpose of this conversation is? How I can help my conversation partner understand why I think this topic matters? Words are like anything else. As Paul pointed out, they can become “corrupt” when they are not aimed at edification and seasoned with grace. The more we think and pray in advance about what we want to say, the more we train our reason to operate for encouragement and edification.

Next, remember that a conversation is just that, people together (con-) talking (-versation) about something. A conversation is not just a report; it requires give-and-take, respect for the views of others, explanation and understanding, and a focus on mutual encouragement. Keeping all these elements in mind and in play in a conversation requires thoughtfulness, which is yet another way that reason is exercised and used for the glory of God.

Finally, I think it is essential that, if only within ourselves, we keep in mind Paul’s words about “all things”—that they are from Christ, sustained by Christ, and will return to Christ to be received and reviewed (Rom. 11.36). That is, remember that Christ is a participant in all your conversations, so that your conversation is guided by the mind of Christ, sustained by the grace of Christ, and intended for the honor of Christ. It’s not hard to see how such an approach to conversation will require careful thinking, serve to encourage, and contribute to sound reasoning.

Listen well, speak for edification
What the apostle James wrote in James 1.19 applies to when we are involved in a conversation. We should be “swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” When we are listening carefully in a conversation, our rational powers are at work, receiving and processing words in a wide range of ways. We are not listening when all we’re doing is thinking about what we want to say next. The time for that will come. But we owe it to our conversation partners to hear them well and make sure we understand their view or contribution. Listening well does not entail accepting or agreeing with everything that is said. Understanding is the goal at this point, and reason is the tool for reaching that.

And when we speak in a conversation, we should be “slow” in doing so. Such an approach suggests a reasoned contribution—measured, considerate, open to critique, and aimed at encouragement and edification. Part of the “slowness” of such speech involves the reasoning process whereby we arrange our contribution so that it will make sense to others.

Conversation provides many excellent opportunities to encourage and edify our fellow believers. Done well, it will make use of careful reason and contribute to reason’s becoming a more effective tool in our work for the Lord.

For reflection or discussion
1. What would you say are some “conversation killers”? How do these violate the tenets of sound reason?

2. How can praying the psalms help to improve your conversational skills?

3. In a conversation, how can you know when someone has listened well to your contribution?

Next steps—Conversation: Talk with God about an upcoming conversation, then engage that conversation as He leads, following the guidelines in today’s article.

T. M. Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

This week: Our Read Moore podcast continues readings from the book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. In our Crosfigellteaching letter, we are studying examples of the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. And in the daily Scriptorium column we are working our way through the Gospel of Matthew. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you. 

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