I’m really glad this was the article that was most clicked by Monday’s readers. Have a look:
http://paultripp.com/articles/posts/a-survey-on-talk
PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE. Print it out and talk about each question with those close to you. Repeat it often! If I sound urgent, it’s because this article HAS really challenged me. I hope that’s the case for you too.
I have a few thoughts to add here about how and why this challenged me:
1. I can’t assume everyone knows me when I talk.
Yes, I talk publicly quite a bit. I also talk privately quite a bit. And in both of those settings, I am talking with or to people who don’t necessarily know me personally. A joke or an off handed comment can do much more damage than good if it is interpreted the wrong way. Discernment is necessary for all of us when we talk, as we must be careful to know who is around. The newer the setting, the less comfort we should assume.
2. One of the main themes is this: is our talk productive or not?
If we are mostly negative, people will be on eggshells around us, receive less from us, and grow little by being around us. However, if we think through what we’re saying, we will be viewed as people who have productive things to say, even though they may be on the negative side (or should I say challenging?) from time to time.
3. Question #9 about servanthood is the one that resonates with me the most.
In my working relationships I feel most comfortable when I am working with people who want to serve. I would also make a stretch to say most people feel comfortable around me (or anyone!) when they perceive that our attitude is to help, serve, push forward, give hope, rather than judge. Gospel-changed people have other people’s interests in mind quite readily. We should strive for this!