Talk or not to Talk

To Talk or Not to Talk
Mark 6:2
When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
Jesus is a remarkable speaker. People would gather around just to hear Him speak. Wow, that wasn’t the case for me. I was the world’s worst talker.
Before I became a Christian, I was a hot tempered, self-center, spoiled rotten brat. I made up my mind when I was five years old that I was only going to talk to people that I liked. I did not like that many people. I had three older sisters that talked, and talked and talked. So, when a stranger came along I would just let my sisters do all the talking and I would just stand there and listen and smile. Every once in a while they would look at me to see if I had anything to say on the subject but I would just look at them and smile because I haven’t made up my mind if I liked them or not.
I tell you what I was the type of kid you just wanted to slap up side the head. I thought my dad was going to one day. He took all of us out to eat. He liked to do that sometimes on a Sunday and take us to a movie, which of course the movie was, either James Bond or the Planet of the Apes. Once, we get to the restaurant we would all pile into a booth. I always sat next to my mother she was like my guardian angel. I had decided at a young age that I didn’t like my dad so I didn’t talk to him. So, he would always start with my oldest sister and ask her what she wanted to order. Than he would proceed to my 2nd sister than to my 3rd sister. Then it was my turn; my 2nd and 3rd sisters would start giggling and pointing at me because they knew I wasn’t going to answer my dad. So, He would ask me what I wanted to order. And, I would just sit there staring at him. He would get so mad especially after he would have to ask me for the third time. Then, the waitress tries to help and she would ask me what I wanted to order, but I still wouldn’t answer because I didn’t know her and I hadn’t decided if I liked her or not. So, after my dad was ready to blow his top I would just look up at my mom and smile than she would order for me.
I held on to that decision for 24 years. Not to talk to anyone I didn’t like no matter who they were. Because of that decision I did not develop very well in the communication department. By the time I became a Christian I had ran off all my friends not just because of the lack of communication either. I was not a nice person. My family tolerated me because they loved me.
After I accepted Christ as my Savior, God put love in my heart for people. Which, I needed desperately because for a long while I hated people. I felt that people only brought me pain and I didn’t need any more of that. So, I would try to just isolate myself away from them. Except, from work but I didn’t have much of a chose there. I use to smoke cigarettes and at night after I put my kids to bed I would say over and over that my best and only friend was my cigarette. Than I would take another drag off of it.
But, when I accepted Christ as my Savior I wanted to tell people about Jesus. And, I knew that I needed to learn how to communicate with people. So, I would watch and listen to my sisters. After, observing them I realize that I needed a beginning and a middle subject than a closer. While watching TV I saw a man looking at his watch, tap it twice and said, "Got to go". I thought now that was an excellent ending. So, I took that ending as my own. Then, I decided to open with ‘Hi, How are you doing?" next my subject would of coarse be about the weather than my closer was looking at my watch tapping it twice than say ‘ Got to go’. I was so excited!
So, off to Wal-Mart I flew to find someone to practice on. Then, I thought I had a brilliant ideal. Since, I didn’t have much of a personality
I thought that it would be so much better to try to imitate my older sister. Because, when she spoke to people they would just warm up to her. When I talk to people they would treat me like a far, far distant acquaintance. Probably because that is how I had treated them for a long time. My oldest sister personality is kind of loud and very verbal, so that was how I was going to act.
When I got to Wal-Mart I went straight to the lady’s clothing. Waiting and watching for my first victim. Finally she showed up. So, I went over and started my act. She looked at me as if I had finally lost my mind. I wanted to run as fast as I could away from there. I felt like a fool but I wasn’t going to give up. I went home and thought about it over and over again. I couldn’t figure out why that lady didn’t warm up to me like they do with my sister. I did and said everything that I had heard her say and do.
After, I had finally stopped whining I asked God what to do. He told me that I have to listen to what the person is saying but also not only listen but also care about what they are saying and respond from my heart. I thought dear Lord I know that I could listen and probably respond from my heart but care about what they are saying. I had to explain to God that some people are so boring they just go on and on and on about absolutely nothing. Drives me up a wall. But, I knew in my heart that no matter what I had to walk in Love. And, not caring or listen to the person that is talking to me is not walking in Love. I’m not saying I have to agree with everything the person is saying but care because it’s important to the other person other wise they wouldn’t be saying it.
Communication for some people it comes natural. But, for others and me it doesn’t. Then you have the people that talk way too much. Who needs to learn:
Prov 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent,
But he who holds his tongue is wise.
We should always walk in Love towards whomever we are communicating with. So, don’t bore the other person with many words, and don’t act as if what the other person is saying not important to you. No one likes to feel rejected!