I remember meeting someone once for the first time who cut the tension of the first time meeting with a question: “So, Jay, what do you like to talk about?” The question put me on my heels and made me think, but I also marveled at how brave and kind the question was.
Of course I gave the “hold on and let me think a bit,” preface of “that’s a really good question…” but then I started to tell this person the things that I liked to talk about. Faith, new music, current events, beer/bourbon, streaming tv shows, church “shop talk”, restaurants, terrible jokes, and art. Those are at least a few of the things. That night I had a great conversation with this person who was brave and kind enough to ask me what I wanted to talk about.
I wonder how often “faith/Bible/church/etc” would come up if we asked the people around us what they liked to talk about, or how often it would come up if I asked University Lutherans. It might come up a bunch, but it also might not be something we really *like* to talk about. I think there are some good reasons for us to not enjoy talking about faith, but I also think it dulls us to not speak our faith conversationally.
Sure, there’s a bunch of “download” content in Christianity. As the lead preacher and teacher in this place, I get that. But it isn’t meant to stay as “download”. The stuff that I preach about, I want you to talk about that – not because my ego is wrapped up in that, but because it’s good for you to work it out in your own life as you talk about it. As you talk about it, you will likely get more uncomfortable with some stuff (usually where the Spirit is convicting you), but also more comfortable with so much of it. You might even get so comfortable with speaking of faith that you start to talk to those who believe differently than you do.
This Christmas, you’ll have opportunity to be brave and kind like my friend was and ask someone “what do you like to talk about?” If you do, and if they answer “faith,” take them up on that. The Holy Spirit will use something as simple as a conversation to get you more comfortable with God and possibly get your neighbor more comfortable with God as well.