Snippets Of Conversation

The mother pointed to the display.
Look at the pumpkin, she said while her little girl squealed.
Her little sister was in the shopping cart seat.
She was too busy putting something in her mouth to notice a pumpkin.

You and your sister are going to be Elsa and Anna for Halloween, aren’t you?
More excited squeals and preschool conversation that went on a mile a minute.
You are going to look just like Elsa and Anna, the mother continued.
Their voices faded as I passed them.

Someone else was on her phone talking much too loudly.
I had no intention of eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help it.
Her volume was much louder than it should have been for a personal phone call.
Everyone in the vicinity heard the woman who was not too happy about something.

Snippets of conversation are all around us.
Something that used to be discussed in private is now public simply because of location.
I have had to maneuver around people on their cell phones many times.
Instead of standing off to the side, they stand in the middle of the aisle.

They tend to give you an annoyed look as you try to pass them.
They tend to give you a look as if to say, you shouldn’t be hearing this.
Agreed.
Talking in a public place at a loud volume brings outsiders into the conversation.

Unwillingly.
Unintentionally.
The listener almost feels as if they have to apologize for walking by at that very moment.
The phone etiquette goes both ways.

Anyone with a wall phone remembers how difficult it was to get any privacy.
You walked as far away as you possibly could to get out of earshot.
I remember opening the basement door and sitting on the steps just to have privacy.
Private conversations are intended to be private.

However, now no matter where you go any more you hear snippets of conversations.
None of the words mean anything to you as you walk by but they are heard nonetheless.
I have heard businessmen discussing business on their phone as I passed them.
I have heard girls break up with their boyfriends.

I have heard arguments and witnessed tears being shed.
As a passerby, there is nothing you can do.
You inevitably need an item that is right near their shopping cart.
Even if you don’t want to listen, you unwillingly hear snippets of their conversation.

Many times the person on the phone will say, I’m sorry, and move out of the way.
But not always.
I have often imagined conversation bubbles above the heads of the people on the phone.
What an interesting picture as everyone walks around conversing in their own little world.

Unintentional eavesdropping makes me very uncomfortable.
I have to admit that I do love to hear snippets of conversation as a child talks to their mother.
There is something so precious about their innocence.
There is something so refreshing about their honesty.

Imagine what God hears as He listens to us.
We hear snippets of conversation; God hears the whole thing.
God is not an intruder.
God is not eavesdropping.

God is sovereign.
God is omniscient.
God is omnipotent.
God is omnipresent.

God has the right to listen to our conversations.
God has the right to listen to our thoughts.
There is accountability knowing that God hears our words and thoughts.
There is either comfort in the knowledge of that or there is fear.

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road, the desert road, that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to the chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
(Acts 8:26-35)

All reading was done out loud even when someone was reading privately.
That is how Philip knew what the eunuch was reading.
Philip heard snippets of conversation as the eunuch read aloud.
The Spirit led Philip to the exact chariot at the exact time.

Perfectly timed, Philip was able to hear the words as the eunuch read aloud.
Do you understand what you are reading?
How can I, unless someone explains it to me?
God had a divine appointment for Philip.

A divine appointment that was aided by eavesdropping.
Hearing snippets of what the eunuch was reading allowed Philip to have a starting point.
Beginning with that very passage of Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
Philip knew where to begin because he overheard.

It was a case of divine eavesdropping.
It was snippets of conversation that led to a starting point.
It was a starting point that led to a discussion about Jesus.
It was the discussion about Jesus that led to the salvation of the eunuch.

As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. (Acts 8:36-38)

Snippets of conversation ordained by a sovereign God.
Only God knows where it all will lead.
Only God can put people in the right place at the right time.
Divine eavesdropping that leads to a conversation about Jesus as only God can do.

 

2 responses to “Snippets Of Conversation”

1. This brought back a memory– My grandfather was on a ferry going from Camden to Phila. and was reading his Bible. (He was a young man, about 19). A man sat beside him and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” just like Philip did. They started to discuss the Bible and this man told my grandfather more about his church and how they used the Bible as their guide. He became Pop’s mentor, friend, and later performed the marriage of my grandfather and grandmother. I wonder how many people are brought to Christ today because of a stranger beginning a conversation?

   Reply

   • Sue,
     What a wonderful story! Ministry is really about showing up. It is about being available for questions and conversation. We tend to make it much harder than it should be. We never know who is within earshot and what they are hearing. God may use us at that very moment to introduce them to Him and His Son, Jesus.
     Gina

     Reply