“If I could have any superpower, it would be the ability to do small talk well, because anyone who does it well is a superhero as far as I’m concerned. I’m more like the Aquaman of small talk: people don’t remember much about me except that I’m weird.”
Sammy Rhodes “This is Awkward”
I laughed at this paragraph last April not just because it was funny, but it described me perfectly.
God in his wisdom has made me an extroverted-introvert. With friends I have no problem talking enough for everybody in the room (plenty of things to talk about), but with strangers I can go from greetings to awkwardness in one-minute.
For years that awkwardness has led me to avoid small talk, but being in Barrouallie has forced me to embrace that awkwardness
In October a Vincentian stopped me on the street during my afternoon walk and pointed out that I never stopped to talked to people, or said hello to anyone. I apologized to him but didn’t think too much about it. However since then Vincy’s have stopped me on four different occasions to ask why I didn’t stop to say hello.
Now the truth is none of those people say hello to me; however that didn’t change the fact that I was gaining a reputation of being someone who “didn’t say hello.” This didn’t just damage my ministry as a missionary, but took away from my calling in Christ.
As “disciple makers” Christians are called to initiate conversations that move past the awkward silence and uncover the deeper struggles that can be ministered to by the Gospel.
In November I began using “hailing” (greeting everyone you meet) as part of my morning and evening walks, and starting conversations. I’ll always be the aquaman of small talk but that moment of embarrassment creates real a real conversation.
What about you?
How has God used the awkward moment of your lives for his Glory?
Johnhwilburn.org 