I hate talking. Not all talking, just most of it. I really enjoy a good, meaningful, challenging and intellectually stimulating conversation. I love to sit down with someone (anyone, really) and hear about their heart: their passions, their struggles, their innermost thoughts. The talking that I hate is useless chatter; talking for the sake of talking. My best friend tells me that the word for this is “prattle (v): to babble meaninglessly, to talk in an empty and idle manner”. I’ve learned this about myself: prattling is definitely one of my biggest pet peeves. I’m just not a fan of useless noise. I absolutely can’t stand it when people talk simply because they think silence needs to be filled (I’m a pretty big fan of silence).
I’ve also learned this about myself: in so many ways, I myself am a prattler. I am often full of meaningless, empty, and idle talk. By this, I mean that I am often one to make bold claims and meaningful statements that are not always evidenced by action. I find it so easy to verbally state the things I know to be true, while I find it much more difficult to illustrate those truths in the way I live. When I am really honest with myself, I know that this is no different than participating in the meaningless chatter that I am often so bothered by.
I am becoming more and more confident that my experience on the World Race is beginning to break me of my prattling habits. Daily, I am pushed to put action to the words that I have spoken for so long. I have been praying consistently that God would never let me be a person who is “all talk”. I long to be a person of true faith; not the kind that my culture has defined for me, but rather the faith that the Bible has defined for me. That faith is one that is expressed through words, but then evidenced by action. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but then does nothing about his physical needs then what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:14-17).
I am quick to say “God is all I need”. Do I believe that to the point of giving up everything else that I know? I state that my joy and my peace come only from God Himself. So, am I willing to let go of everything else that I have probably been looking to for temporary joy and peace? I claim that I am more interested in eternal treasures than earthly treasures. Will I sell everything I have and give to the poor, as Jesus directed the rich young ruler? I say that I genuinely love my neighbor. Am I willing to give him my bed? Better yet, am I willing to step out of myself and boldly tell him the truth that he needs the salvation that Christ offers him? Oh, how I pray that my faith would be genuine: a faith that is not characterized by mere talk, but is rather characterized by actions that bring the kingdom to the world around me.
I do hate talking. Meaningless, empty talking. But, oh how I love words that are accompanied by action that bring life to the world around me. I pray that my life would daily be characterized by those life giving words that I love.
As a complete side note, being in Galway has reminded me of so many other things that I love, so I thought I would just share a view to give you a glimpse of my time here in Galway: I love city parks where people just sit to spend time together. I love beautiful cathedrals and the reverence that they represent. I love coffee shops. I love tea time. I love the majesty of God’s ocean. I love running alongside the ocean. I love sitting next to the ocean and listening to Patty Griffin and enjoying moments of peace. I love waking up in a tent with nothing but a bit of canvas separating me from the fresh morning air. I love praying for people on the street who clearly have not been prayed for in quite a while. I love the chilly air and the fact that it allows me to wear a scarf. I love scarves. I love bicycles with baskets on the front. I love seeing the church come together as one body and provide for each other (especially when that provision means that a group of young missionaries on a tight budget gets a nice warm meal!). Finally, I especially love that God daily gives us opportunities to know Him more and to be His light in a dark world. I love that.
