I was eavesdropping on the people at the next table…not that they were trying to keep their conversation private…
We were in one of those specialty coffee shops where the WIFI is the only thing free…
The tables are fairly close together…
and the people talk as if they are alone…
“I called this meeting” said the man who wanted everyone to know he was in charge…
“Because you have concerns about where we’re moving in the next phase, and I want to be sure you fully communicate those concerns…”
Five minutes later, Mr. “I’m in charge” was still talking.
Translation…
“Ignore what I just said. I am the only one who will ‘communicate’ in this meeting.”
He paused for a drink of coffee. The second man started to talk. He may have said three or four words…
“Thanks for your thoughts,” interrupted the first man, “but I did not intend this meeting to be a deep dive.”
Translation: “Did you misunderstand my first statement? If so, see the translation above.”
As I was recovering from his use of the term “deep dive”, he stood.
“Thank you so much for meeting me here. And for understanding that this is the way the church needs to move.”
He turned and walked out without waiting for a response, leaving the other man trying to regain his dignity.
Did he say, “the church”?
I was not the only one in the coffee shop listening to the conversation.
One Bible verse came to mind…
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
The man in charge had spoken in a pleasant voice. His smile had never left his face.
Yet he had not spoken one word in love, and only at the end had he spoken in truth.
He had delivered a message to everyone in the room… a message of truth traded for insincerity and love exchanged for false civility.
Are we like that as Christians? Are we afraid to speak to each other in either love or truth?
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, Ephesians 4:15
Without truth, and without love, how can we advance the kingdom of God?
