I've never been one to talk much, especially not at school. I've certainly opened up since junior high, though. There was one time my classmates made up a story where at night, I turned into a monster and hid in kid's closets, but the parents never believed their kids about me because I was so quiet. I don't blame them, though. I mean, what else were they supposed to think?
Since then, God has revealed a lot to me about the importance of transparency and communication. I've come to love deep and meaningful conversations. So much so, that one of my pet peeves has become small talk. I would often look down upon talking just for the sake of filling in the silence. I wanted conversation to have meaning and a point. I wanted for it to be done out of interest and love for the other person, not just to avoid feeling awkward.
However, instead of becoming a good example in this area, I allowed my pride and prejudice to blind me. Rather than shifting small talk into purpose-driven conversation, I simply refused to participate in it. If I didn't feel something was worth talking about, I simply sat back and kept to myself. I began to feel quite proud of the fact that I was more of an "observer." Then I came across these verses...
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person (Col. 4:5–6).
The enemy is hard at work speaking lies into people's lives, and yet here I am sitting back and observing. I cannot let my annoyance of small talk silence me. It's crucial that I am fighting those lies by speaking truth into peoples' lives, as well as my own. It takes energy for a light to shine.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31–32).
This post was written by Deanna Martin.
