Impact

I often forget that words can have real impact.

A positive recent example --- I was talking with a guy who I’ve only known for a couple weeks and he asked me what I do for a living. When I answer a question like that I’m basically in auto-pilot. I mean, I could be talking about the weather or a video game or something, it’s just small talk for me. But I forget that for the other person, religion may be something worth commenting on. I’ll say that I’m a Youth Director with kids 5th grade through college juniors, I’ll say that I’m a Seminary student (usually explaining that it’s a graduate school for Bible stuff) and I’ll get one of a few interesting responses:

1. “Oh, interesting.” And the conversation will quickly move on because the person is slightly uncomfortable with the mention of “Jesus,” “Christian,” “church,” “God,” etc.
2. The person will start dumping all kinds of stories and thoughts on me. I imagine this is similar to a low-level politician who as soon as he tells someone what he does, that person starts telling him how to fix the state, country, and the world. Or no, actually, more like a doctor who meets someone on the sidewalk and they pull up their shirt to show him some nasty rash. That’s kinda what it’s like to tell people you work in ministry --- some people take that as an open invitation to share their thoughts. And I say right on! It’s so much fun to get into conversations like that.
3. The person will start asking a lot of questions because it’s rare they’ll bump into someone who has the type of job I do. These conversations are also tons of fun, and what fascinates me is how open the person usually is to what I’m saying. If you, the blog reader, are having trouble with your evangelism --- just go enter Seminary! People you bump into will box you into a stereotype almost immediately, so you can “get away with” saying all kinds of things. People expect “pastors” to mention God every now and then. As an undergrad it was more hit and miss – there were times I had to earn credibility before I could broach the topic, whereas now it’s what I do --- people don’t feel preached at when they know I’m simply telling them where I work and what I do.

The guy I started this post talking about was the #2 type of response – he started telling me about his childhood and how he had recent questions about God. I’m uber-thankful God uses me in ways like this sometimes.


But my words don’t always build others up. >-< There are countless examples of how cruel I can be with my words, the most recent example being a fight I got into over instant messaging an old friend. Why do I hurt people the way I do? Why can’t I stop being this ugly monster of a person who does/says things that tear others down? Is it because my heart is evil? Is it because of that human struggle Paul describes in Romans 7? Sigh, intellectually I know it is. ☹ But oh man is it hard to remind myself --- to shut down all the lies and doubts I have about myself by remembering the value that God has put in me.

And in the meantime, during this process of learning as I go, I’m sorry to those I hurt. Deeply, deeply sorry.