One can’t avoid occasional difficult conversations in a family. We might want to skip them. We might want to delay them as long as possible. Nonetheless, sometimes we have to engage in those tough conversations.
The first Christians trusted that Jesus would be returning at any time. Their confidence meant many things, among them the simple fact that we don’t have forever to do what we need to do. That which needs to be done eventually is best done immediately. That would include difficult conversations in the family.
The Bible also tells us “love covers a multitude of sins.” When we enter into a challenging conversation in our family, we want our motivation to be love. The attitude matters more than any particular communication skills or vocabulary choices. Difficult conversations are best done out of love, even if they are not done perfectly.
We also read in the Bible that the words we speak are a way of serving people. When we give our life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit pours out upon us a variety of gifts that we are to use for the common good. One way we serve other people, including family, is through the words we choose. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our family is not something spectacular, but simply being careful about the words we say.
In our sermon this Sunday we will be talking about difficult conversations in the family.