Mom Heart Moments #67

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

I’M NOT THE FIRST PERSON to observe that conversation is becoming a lost art in this age of cell phones, instant messaging, and social media. Technology makes it so easy to communicate that we become accustomed to lazy forms of messaging. Instead of meeting a friend for tea, we send a text. Instead of dropping into an office to ask a question, we hide our request behind an email. Instead of working out a disagreement with a friend, we write an anonymous rant in a blog comment.

While digital communication, social media, and even snail mail are helpful in connecting us with others, especially those far away, they lack the personal, satisfying, impacting effect of a face-to-face conversation complete with questions, answers, smiles, laughter, tears, and even touch.

This is a great loss. One of the essential parts of being human is our capacity for connection. We are made in the image of a triune God, which is to say a relational God. To reflect His image is to live in communion with and response to our fellow image bearers. Texts and emails and even videoconferencing can bring us only so close to that kind of relationship. Sooner or later we need to have a direct connection.

Conversation is essential to discipleship. In fact, discipleship can be thought of as a long conversation about the things of Jesus over a lifetime. If we are to live into God’s fullness for us and be skilled disciplers, we must pursue the art of conversation.

Learn to be the conductor of your table. Set the rhythm and the rules of your conversation. Make sure the quiet are heard, make sure the talkative are loved. Through your example, teach your children to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19, NLT). Let your table be the training grounds for graciousness and consideration.

Are your words full of grace and seasoned with salt?