Let's Talk!

 Does this phrase sound familiar? Perhaps it came from a boss, coach, Mom or Dad or someone else in authority. Perhaps you were dreading the talk and thinking the worst. Maybe you weren't thinking the worst and knew it was going to be good. You were looking forward to the talk! In any case, talking can be good. It's good for getting out feelings, concerns, questions, desires, needs. Talking can also be healthy. It's not good to keep everything bottled up inside. Talking it out isn't always comfortable, but it's necessary. Now we can't talk to everybody about everything. We have to know what to say, when to say it, and who to say it to. Proverbs 13:3 says, "The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin." Based on the talks, actions can be taken for growth, change, and improvement. When certain talks don't happen, it can lead to disastrous results. Assumptions happen when there's no talk. Relationships can't be healthy when there's no talk. In the Bible story found in Luke 18:10-14, we see two men who are going to church to pray. I want to stop here for a minute and say that prayer is simply talking to God. We don't need to say any big and fancy words when we pray. The two men both prayed and their prayers were not long. However, what they said in their prayers was totally different and spoke volumes. The Pharisee (church leader) said "I" a lot and gave a list of good deeds he had done (v.11-12). The tax collector's prayer was simply one line. He asked God to show mercy or kindness to him. He recognized he needed God's help (v.13). Even the way the two men stood was totally different! While both were standing, the tax collector stood far away and wouldn't even look up. Our heart posture matters when we talk to God. Are we going to Him with the "I" syndrome? Are we going to Him comparing ourselves to others and with a list of good deeds we have done? Prayer is not a resume' where we name all of our accomplishments, nor should there be a lot of "I" about what we do and don't do. We should be grateful and realize we only do what we do because of God. Or in our prayer are we saying, "God, I know I can't do it on my own and I need your help?" Are we saying, "God, I don't have it altogether and I don't know everything, but you do." We need Him! Today, God is saying to you, "Let's talk." We don't have to pretend that something isn't happening or be nervous about what He thinks. God already knows and He cares. He cares about you and your situations. We can talk to Him about everything- problems, concerns, what's going on in our day, needs, desires, future dreams and goals. We can tell Him all and don't have to worry about Him telling someone else. We want to make sure in our talk to thank Him for who He is to us and for what He has done for us. Just like a parent or coach wants the best for you when they say, "Let's talk," God also wants the best for us. Some talks with people are not positive and we need to take the lessons from those. But "Let's talk" is not always a bad thing either. We need to have talks in our relationship with God and others. We learn. We grow. We use what we hear or didn't hear in the talks to take actions. We can make the necessary changes we need for the better. So don't avoid it. Don't go around it. Face it head on and get ready to talk!