Tongue-tied? Trust God!
Q: Sometimes I feel really awkward when I try to talk about Christian Science. How do I figure out the right words to explain it to my friends?
A: No worries! Actually, there’s no such thing as “the right words,” because every opportunity to talk to a friend will be totally unique. Each time, there will be a good idea for you to share—an idea just perfect for that person or that situation. And you don’t have to plan it out ahead of time because you can trust God to tell you in that moment what needs to be said. Maybe it’s just a simple thought, such as: Christian Science helps you understand that God is Love. But you can rely on God to help you know what you need to say, and to guide the conversation from there.
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And more than words, what really speaks to people is your life. The way you live your life says so much about Christian Science. Where does your joy come from? Why do you rarely get sick? Just being who you are can be such an effective way of “speaking” about Christian Science. Sometimes, sharing a healing you’ve had can be helpful, too, because it shows what Christian Science does. It shows that Christian Science is practical and relevant.
You know another big thing that tells people something about Christian Science without you having to say a single word? Love. Everyone wants love. Everyone wants to be loved. So make love the basis of your conversation. Love the person you’re talking to with your whole heart. Ask God to help you love that person a little more the way He does.
Just being who you are can be such an effective way of “speaking” about Christian Science.
Sometimes, if I find myself struggling to love the other person in a conversation, it’s helpful to remember that this is my brother or sister, because we’re all God’s children. We are united in Love itself. I think of Jesus teaching his disciples to love no matter what, and Mary Baker Eddy teaching her students to be charitable, to be kind to others, whatever they think or say. That love, especially when you realize that its source is divine Love, will touch people. It might even heal them! Wow. Now that’s an effective way to “talk” about Christian Science. What could be better than someone experiencing a healing for him or herself?
But getting back to the words, one thing that’s been helpful for me is to think about what Christian Science means to me. Why it’s important. What it has done for me in my life. As Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, there are “millions of unprejudiced minds” that are “waiting and watching for rest and drink” (p. 570). You can help them find what they’re looking for by thinking about and cherishing what Christian Science has done for you, how it’s helped and healed you—and then being willing to share that.
If you have that openness and a willingness to share, opportunities will come to you. As you trust God, the words and right ideas will come to you. The fear, awkwardness, or anything that would keep you from being a blessing will fall away as you focus on how God is leading and guiding, instead of worrying about how you’re sounding. Maybe whatever you say doesn’t sound “perfect” to you, but you never know what one little idea might be exactly what that person needs, or what someone might reflect on later. You can trust God to help each person get the message that’s just right for him or her.