Why do I use the word "faux?" Because it's fancy! And, for
quite some time I've been observing the conversations that surround me, whether
I'm with a group of friends or amongst different people as we go about our
daily activities. Most of the time I hear a lot of "filler" or
"fluff." Everyone is talking but they're really not talking about
anything. My favorite is sitting in a restaurant and listening to people who,
for 30 minutes, talk about the other restaurants they've eaten at! I think faux
conversations keep us in a fog and I think it's exactly what Satan wants.
Don't worry; I don't think every waking minute of our lives should be deep
and philosophical. We don't want our heads to explode! But I do think the
precious moments we have outside of our everyday demands should be purposeful
because there are so few. If I've been alone, with kids, or at work in a
cubicle all day I want to talk about my life and hear about yours. I guess if
all you do is go to restaurants I'll have to adjust myself to that talk, but
I'd wager there is more to you than that.
Why would Satan want us to focus more on fluff than each others' personal
lives? Because it gives him power. If he can stop people from investing in God,
each other, or ourselves then he is a quiet, creeping menace that keeps us from
fulfillment in Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Christ. C.S. Lewis' book The
Screwtape Letters is a VERY powerful book to me. Consider: "Noise,
the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless,
and virile - Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing
scruples and impossible desires. We will make the whole universe a noise in the
end."
So the next time you’re with
somebody, who is not your best friend whom you share everything with, consider
really wanting to know how and who that
person is and asking them, and even directing the conversation towards things
that matter when the other, unconsciously out of habit, keeps things
superficial. Don’t let noise and fakeness rule your relationships. It's easy to do. I struggle with it myself.
God Bless You,
Barbara
so true! My mom and I used to joke that you can tell the difference between a hispanic and a non-hispanic in simply asking how they are doing. A non-hispanic answer will be short and non-informative, while a hispanic will tell you how they are doing, how everyone in their family is doing, extended family, etc.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! If only we would be more transparent with each other and even strangers, God could use our every interaction.