Core Scripture: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

Message: I was in line to donate plasma this morning.  Same old, same old.  There were about ten people in front of me.  Each one of them was on their phone.  Well, one gal was staring off into space.  No conversations.  No intruding into other people’s lives. 

Just silence. 

I started to wonder … what is wrong with this scene?  Why don’t people talk to one another?  Why is it common to live in our own little bubbles and be drawn to scrolling our phones?  What is on my phone that is more interesting than a good old-fashioned conversation?

Conversations.  They are a lost art today, aren’t they?  Not only in public but in our own households.  I ask my son how school was, and he always says, “Fine.  Normal Day.”  Digging up the gems from his life at school is like pulling teeth. 

My other son will say things like, “Dad, you’re not gonna talk to people in line again, are you?” as we approach a long line of people.  It embarrasses him.  I mean, why strike up conversations with strangers?  It reminds me of the Progressive commercial below.  Take a looksie …

Yep.  I am that guy.  Not every time at the gas station pump.  More so just when conversation seems enjoyable.  Sometimes your day just needs a little spice to it.  Something new.  And you never know what conversation could come out of interacting with a complete stranger. 

I must admit.  I played on my phone in line this morning.  Checked the time of the Royals game.  Leveled up in Madden Mobile.  I felt the nudge to interact, but nobody seemed like they wanted to talk.  So, I got sucked in.  I did what they did.  I played on my phone.

Not very fulfilling.

I made progress once I was called to get my vitals checked.  The gal that pricked my finger was brand new to me.  We made small talk.  Nothing too deep.  But it felt decent enough.  That was when I moved on to the line to get my plasma drawn.

An old Taylor Swift song was playing.  It was abruptly cut midway through.  Nothing but silence followed.  I engaged the guy behind me. 

“Oh, sure, they cut off the Taylor Swift song,” I scoffed with a chuckle.

He smiled and nodded his head. 

“I mean, I like her old stuff, but her new stuff?” I continued. 

He nodded politely, but I read the uneasiness in his expression.  That look he gave me told me Hey, buddy, just let me be.  You go listen to your old Taylor Swift stuff.  I’d rather just be in my own thoughts.

To each his own.

“Next patient to orange!” a voice called out.

Hey, that’s me!  I had seen a few employees I knew by name.  Garrett, Mary Kate, Manny.  Being a regular, I had Mary Kate three times in a row and found out some fun stuff about her life.  She lived in St. Louis, she loves theater, and she is going to be in Theater in the Park this summer.  Might take the family to see her perform!

I walked to orange to find a guy I had never met before.  His name was Jake.  I saw he was from Olathe on his name badge and asked him about his middle school and high school days, letting him know I had taught in Olathe for over two decades.  Nice guy!  Every question I asked elicited a new question.  Just to get to know him.

Creepy?  I don’t think so.  Weird?  Maybe to some.  I am sure some of the patients around me probably thought What is this guy doing?  Nobody else is talking here, so what makes him so special?  I don’t know—maybe I don’t want to be normal.  Maybe I just want to be friendly.

I dialed Jake’s name in and called him by name as I left, thanking him for the plasma donation help.  Maybe I will see him next time; maybe I won’t.  The point is I will be looking for Jake the next time I donate plasma, and I will try to call him by name.  It might freak him out, but it might also make him feel important.  Like he actually matters or something.

Some of the best conversations come from engaging others in public.  Last week I saw a gal with a Bon Jovi shirt on.  I smiled and asked her what her favorite Bon Jovi song was.  It led to a five-minute conversation where we talked about 80’s rock music, not to mention favorite concerts we each had attended.  Pretty cool!

It is amazing what happens when you take an interest in others.  The floodgates open!  You might hit a topic that you don’t really care for, but there is equal chance you could discover a topic you BOTH enjoy.  You might just make someone’s day! 

My suggestion is to not stop there.  Dig deeper.  Ask questions.  If you have the opportunity to share your faith, do so.  Twist the conversation to the spiritual realm.  I call it taking their spiritual temperature.  Ask if they are looking for a church.  Tell them where you attend church.  If they don’t have a church home, invite them!

I will end by saying this.  One day back in February 2022, I visited 7-11 on my plan hour to grab a soda.  There was an older man in a Vietnam Veteran hat that was getting coffee next to me.  I engaged him immediately, shaking his hand and thanking him for his service. 

Little did I know that handshake and thank you would change my life forever.

The guy lit up like a firecracker.  A gleam in his eye told me he truly appreciated that thank you, and considering his welcome home from Vietnam was not so welcome, it really meant the world to him.  He told me a story.  I asked to buy his coffee.  He told me, “No, I am going to buy YOUR drink!”

This guy was amazing.  I took a risk.  We exchanged numbers.  I wanted to hear more of his stories.  We texted.  I ended up meeting him at Hy Vee for coffee the following week.  Long story short, this man, Michael Clark, ended up becoming one of my best friends.

He visited my classroom three times, twice on Veterans Day.  He allowed me the privilege of writing a book about his life last summer.  We still meet for coffee almost every Friday on my day off work, just to enjoy each other’s company.  None of this would have happened had I not engaged Michael in conversation. 

Take a risk this week.  Put down your phone and have a good old-fashioned conversation.  With a stranger!  Or if that sounds too risky, do it with a co-worker you don’t know well or a family member you have lost touch with.  You never know what beauty lies beneath. 

Challenge: Engage a stranger in line with conversation.  You might just make their day.

Old blog: I have written many blog posts through the years about Michael Clark.  Here is the first one …

Giving Back

Video application: This Prince EA video will make you question whether you ever want to scroll your phone out of boredom again …

Just for fun: One time I went into a building where about 25 people were waiting to do a taste test study.  Yes, I got paid for sampling chips, but that is not the point.  The point is every one of those people were looking at their phones.  TikTok.  Facebook.  Snapchat.  Instagram.  YouTube.  You name it!  Nobody even looked at me as I walked in.  All except for one old teacher friend that I hadn’t seen in over a year.  I made my way over to her.  We caught up.  We had a pleasant five-minute conversation, and we may have been the only two people talking, but gosh darn it, we enjoyed it! 

Prayer: Father, give me pleasant conversations with others this week that will glorify You.  May others see a bit of You in me, spraying a sweet fragrance of Your perfect love.  Amen.