The sales pitch

Why is it so hard to have a spiritual conversation in our culture? Really, why is it so hard to have conversations about anything that matters? I'm convinced it's because of the sales pitch.

We dread the doorbell for fear of the sales pitch.

We ignore the phone, imagining the sales pitch.

We unfollow 'friends' on social media because of the sales pitch.

We shop and bank online to sidestep the sales pitch.

We shun furniture and men's clothing stores because of the sales pitch.

We visit car lots after hours to avoid the sales pitch.

We wonder if "let's have coffee" will result in the sales pitch.

We avoid determined activists because of the sales pitch.

We are marketed to every day, all day long. It seems every interaction demands a transaction. Hurry! Act now! Not so in many other cultures where people can enjoy each other's company and have conversations about most anything.

What if Christians were different? What if we loved people enough just to get to know them—to spend time with them? What if we asked for nothing at all and let the Holy Spirit lead and prompt in the midst of shared life?