Does this happen to you? Your phone rings, it’s someone close to you, you pick up and the caller starts the conversation by saying “so if I don’t call you, you won’t call me?”. Can you identify with this? What are your thoughts? Mine – did this person call to have an argument? How do you respond? I have had different responses to this question, but I find this question unnecessary and it leaves me wondering if;

1. The caller just wants to get back at me for not keeping in touch often

2. The caller really cares what has been going on with me

3. The caller has no conversational etiquette

I figure the person on the other end of the line is consumed with self and calling to make me feel bad. I feel this is a conversation killer, far from how to start a chat. I usually throw good friends off by asking if they called just to say that.

Phillipians 2:4 says ‘do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others’. In line with this, shouldn’t we be calling to check up on loved ones? Shouldn’t the call be about catching up? Why are people so self centred? Everyone goes through stuff in life and it is unfair to throw this in each other’s face. What ever happened to being you brother’s keeper? What happened to looking out for one another? Do you know what trial(s) the other person is going through? What happened to love?

A friend’s mum always says; make an excuse for your friend before getting mad at them. You can get mad after you hear from them. Do you agree? Won’t it be nice if we all adopted this approach? Conversations will start smoothly and no one will be offended at the start of a call. Let’s be cautious of how we talk to ourselves, let’s be intentional about our relationships, and let’s look out for one another.

In line with achieving our destiny, John 13:34-35 quotes our Saviour Jesus Christ saying “a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another”. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Let’s all strive to look out for one another, to think of the possibility that the person you are calling could be going through a rough period. Be your sister’s keeper. Let peace reign, let love endure.