“I figured you’d ask me where I’m at with God stuff so I spent a few hours last night thinking about the answer to that question.”
I didn’t expect Matt to come out with that. I didn’t realise I was so predictable.
We only had an hour or so for a mug of tea outside Euston and a quick catch-up after probably a good six months apart. Naturally we hit our headlines: family, work, holiday plans… and of course I asked all the relationship questions us girls like to know (got to make sure you guys are treating your ladies right!) But I have never been in a situation where my friend has asked themselves “the God question” first. It was quite refreshing really, but it did take me by surprise.
I appeared to have created a habit in my friendship with Matt that meant every time we caught up, I’d ask him where he was at with God and what he was thinking about church. Except this time, he was so expecting the faith challenge, he beat me to it! Away he goes with what’s in his head: his struggles with church, how he reckons the Bible should be taught and the over-arching message of love he believes we often miss with God.
He wouldn’t call himself a follower of Jesus, but he also won’t write it off. He genuinely had spent hours thinking through where he stands with Jesus the evening before, in order to discuss it with predictable old me over a cuppa. The habit of our God-chats actually enabled Matt to give it some head space and reassess where he is.
In Colossians 4 it says “make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
What are we seasoning our conversations with? What flavour do the lads around you sense? Would you risk salting your chats so that blokes can taste the difference?
As much as I don’t like being thought of as predictable, I’ve decided to embrace my apparent tradition of routinely asking my friends about where they are with God. Anyone else feel like joining me in acquiring this habit?
