Skip to main content

New Article: Getting Past the Small Talk

 

                I heard an interview with comedian Jeff Foxworthy in which he said (and I am paraphrasing here), “I wish I had been a singer.  My singer friends can write three good songs and then get paid to sing them for the next 40 years.  People love hearing their old songs.  That is not true with comedians.  I can write the best joke ever and it has a lifespan of three months.  After that, no one laughs, and they never want to hear that joke again”.

               Why is that true?

               In part, it has to do with the fact that comedy relies on surprise.  We laugh because someone says something we did not expect.  Once we have heard the joke, the surprise element is eliminated and, therefore, it is not funny anymore.

                However, I think it also has to do with the content.  Most songs that become popular for long periods of time deal with deep thoughts and emotions.  Singers often sing about things like love, loss, hope, joy, and friendship.  By comparison, comedians deal with the trivial and insignificant.  Their observations do not have the same depth or perspective-altering power.  Their work does not last because it is not important enough to have a deep impact.

               This makes me think about the interactions that I have with people each day.  A lot of my time is spent in small talk.  Many of my conversations revolve around the weather, the Roughriders, motorcycles, or the news.  Often, when people leave my office, I do not know much more about them than when they came in.

               I understand that small talk is useful, but can we get to the deeper questions more quickly?  Can we ask, “How are you?” and really mean it?  Can we talk about subjects like family and faith instead of our latest purchases?  Can we focus on others instead of ourselves?  Can we skip some of the trivial stuff and connect on a deeper level?

               Words are powerful!  Sometimes, well-spoken words will be remembered for an entire lifetime.  Can we use our words well?

               “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Article: Grace Changes Everything

               A young man broke into a business and did $5000 damage. As part of his Restorative Justice sentence, he was required to meet with my friend Garth.   Garth believes in making apologies and restitution.   It took several months, but Garth finally convinced the young man that these were necessary steps, so he tried to arrange a meeting with the business owner.                The business owner wanted nothing to do with this situation.   He was angry and wanted a more severe form of justice.   Eventually, however, he agreed to meet the young man to hear what he had to say.                  The young man looked the business owner in the eye an...
Post a Comment
Read more

New Article: We need a Better Scorecard

                   “Is that a Sun Ice?”                “Excuse me,” I said.                My friend pointed to my new ski jacket and asked again, “Is that a Sun Ice?”                It was 1991 and Sun Ice was the big name in ski wear at the time.   “No” I replied, “I can’t afford one of those”.                “Oh” he said as he lost interest and then just walked away.                I had not seen this friend in more than a year and, sadly, his first ...
Post a Comment
Read more

New Article: Surprised by God

                 We would be shocked if we could hear the Bible for the first time again.   On every page, something unexpected happens.   The only reason we are not surprised is that the stories are so familiar to us.   Think about some of the unexpected interactions that God has had with his people.                For example, every culture has stories about a creator, but none imagined that God would become part of the creation.   That the creator would lower himself and become human is surprising, to say the least.                Not only did he become one of us, but he also came as a baby.   A tiny, helpless, baby!   If I wer...
Post a Comment
Read more