Today’s catch phrase is:
Speak with grace.
I’m not referring to public speaking {it slightly terrifies me}, but rather how our speech comes across when interacting with others.
During our early years of ministry, we heard a sermon about being gracious. It was an extremely influential sermon in my life at the time, and I’ve never forgotten the impact that it has had. The speaker defined grace {as it pertains to how we deal with each other} as “putting people at ease.” This phrase struck me in such a way that it began to change my life.
I would consider myself to have entered into adulthood {college age} with a pretty awkward personality. My people skills were virtually non-existent from lack of practice. Then I got various jobs through college and I began to learn how to make basic conversation on my own. The best training ground was good old McDonalds, where I stood for hours on the front line {cash} and learned how to greet and deal with all sorts of personalities on short notice. As an introvert, I hated it. But I knew deep down that it was good for me. Now I view that job as one of the best I ever had because of how it helped me interact with people.
Over time the Lord has really helped me learn how to speak with grace to others. In a situation of confrontation, speaking with grace does wonders. It is very revealing in counseling situations when the counselor remains calm and composed, speaking deliberately and gracefully. Graceful speech evokes either a calming effect or a “ruffled feathers” effect.
In normal, everyday situations, graceful speech is so helpful in putting both the speaker and the hearer at ease. I have found it to be particularly useful meeting new folks/visitors at church, making house calls, and navigating funeral situations where we didn’t know the family very well or at all. Asking a few caring, non invasive questions can get the ball rolling toward a meaningful, intentional conversation.
I understand well that I am writing to many introverts {as I am} who find conversation making to be difficult. This is, however, an area of personality that can be changed over time. I have seen God enable me over the years to overcome this ‘con’ of my personality. It is amazing what happens when you just dive in and learn how to speak gracefully. It actually makes you seem/feel outgoing, when in reality you are not.
Now granted, there will always be folks who are hard to talk to and situations where it’s generally awkward. But for the most part, graceful speech goes a long way to put people at ease and it communicates to them that you really care.
“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6
Why not ask God to help you in your daily life of family and ministry to:
Speak with grace.
Let’s Chat: Do you find it hard to make conversation with people? Do you have a few tried and true icebreakers that help you communicate with others? How have you seen God enable you to speak with grace and put others at ease?
