A casual conversation in the car on the way home from New York City still echoes in my mind. The gist of it went along the following lines.
“Thanks for introducing me to your friends today. They are really interesting.”
“I am glad that you enjoyed them. I thought you might.”
“You really care about them, don’t you?”
“I have not thought about this much. Yes, I think I do.”
“Do you agree that life potentially threatens their souls?”
“Probably.”
“What are you doing about the threat?”
The conversation is fifteen years old. Then and now, it is a question restlessly stirring within me. I did not sense any malice or agenda in the question. A good friend was genuinely curious. He did not have any answers for me. Great questions open doors. He let me connect the dots.
A stock answer is found in many stories. When Paul was struck by a compelling issue, “he discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along.” (Acts 17.17) Yet, I am not sure what the compelling issue is of my time.
When I reflect on the topic of conversations, it is a commentary on what is compelling in our communities. From the Tour de France to studies, from coffee to injustice, from opportunities to fears, the range is endless. We are talking – about what and why?
We say we care. I know that I do. Yet, I wonder what my conversations reveal about my values and priorities. Am I merely caught up in the flow of everything around me? Is there something compelling in my life? Do I feel compelled, like Paul, to talk with anyone who happens along?
A catch-up conversation with a friend gives me a starting point. I know his life is in chaos. Uncertainty is stalking his moves. His first words were of compassionate concern for me. He started with a gift. It was an invitation that I can embrace for today.
