I enjoy calling friends, family, really anyone and have conversations on a variety of topics. In fact, I have been know to spend 2 or 3 hours conversing with a friend I haven't spoken to in a long time. (Headsets allow for work at the same time!) We start with one topic, run through dozens more and occasionally end with the starting topic again. Conversations can be fun, deep, sad, crazy, confusing, and full of nonessential but interesting information, but I still enjoy them.
It is the other kind of calls, like to businesses, tech support, stores, utilities, municipal offices, hotels, reservations, in other words what I like to call- official calls. I dislike them so much I often procrastinate for days. Anything might take precedence: cleaning, dishes, laundry, texting, studies, fixing items, even de-callousing' my feet. Today I made one of those calls only three days later than I should have. It was to Amazon.
I've used their services before and never had a problem. This time they sent one incorrect item. I ordered three hdmi cables: one regular and two mini to regular. When they came in, one of the minis was regular so it needed to be returned. In reality though, I made a mistake with both minis because they needed to be micros. (oops, didn't know there was a difference.) So I choose to call and speak to a live person to see what could be done in light of my mistake. Service rep. Brian was pleasant, personable, helpful, patient, knew exactly what to do, and how to explain it all to me so I understood what to do. It all worked out quite well thanks to him.
I got thinking later... Perhaps if we Christians shared our faith with others using the same model Brian used with me, maybe more unbelievers would listen, consider and believe or if not, at least walk away happy with the experience thinking, wow, that was a pleasant, personable, helpful, patient, knowledgeable person. Many unbelievers have an aversion to listening to us because we can sound judgmental, condescending, arrogant and close minded. If it isn't in our words, it can be in our tone or body language. Often, they do not feel love from us, and that is a shame.
After all, we are commanded to love:
and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment.
And the second is like this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Mr. 12:30,31
Let all that you do be done in love.
1Cr. 16:14 ESV