Dilbert: So you say whatever pops into your head?
Dilbert’s date: That’s called conversation.
In the popular cartoon strip, Dilbert is the typical engineer. If you work with engineers and wonder about their personality, read this strip. I know it enlightened one of my sisters-in-law.
Some of us don’t really like “idle chatter” that others call conversation. We tend to like this thought from Eleanor Roosevelt (wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt), “Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people.”
In 1st Timothy, Paul advises his protege to “avoid the profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.” I’m not sure these thoughts are linked, but Paul didn’t like bickering, argumentative, opinionated people.
Ever have a conversation with someone who does say whatever first pops into their head? Often, all you hear is opinion not based on facts or learning. I’ve heard two people go back and forth for a half hour and never say anything substantive.
An idea worth pondering: Are our conversations too shallow? Are we failing to connect with others because we are in a rush to just say something? Rather, a conversation should take some time, but not too much, and include listening, then thinking, then response. It’s hard to connect with someone when conversation is like a ping pong match.
Faith Venture 
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