Thought for the Week 19th February 2017

How do I continue a conversation?

 

Jesus met the woman at the well and began a conversation by asking her a simple question.  Ok, it’s one thing to start a conversation but how do you continue one?

 

I find that the best answer to this it to listen to the person’s response and then talk with them openly, honestly and sensitively about what they ask and let the conversation continue without feeling the need to ‘jump in about Jesus’. 

 

Jesus had to respond to a very direct response to his request for a drink.  The woman said to Him:

 

“You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) John 4:9

 

Her response was filled with concerns about prejudice!  That might have been a conversation ender for a lot of us!  I have to say that I have never been faced with such a challenging question so quickly! In fact, most often, it takes a long time for the conversation to become about things related to my faith.  People seem to talk firstly about things that are happening in their lives, and are often glad that somebody has the time and interest to listen to them.

 

 Jesus response is honest, very appropriate and would help the woman to know who it was that she was talking to!

 

 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”  John 4:10

 

Clearly this is not an answer that any of us could give because we are not God!    What each of us can do by being honest is to talk openly about our faith in God at the point in the conversation that people ask us things that create this opportunity.

 

As you meet people this week and begin a conversation…How could you continue these conversations and talk about things that matter?