Weather or Not

During most of the conversations that I have with my grandparents, eventually we'll get around to talking about the weather. This makes sense as my grandfather is a farmer. Although he has sold most of his land and his garden gets smaller every year, he grew up knowing that the elements would determine his family's wealth for that year. The proper amounts of rain and sunshine were required for their crops to flourish. This reliance on the weather was ingrained into him and so even now, all these years later, the outlook for the coming days is of utmost importance.
It seems to me that the same should be true for Christians. The One that we depend upon should be a regular part of our conversation because we know that our future is mediated on His grace. We tend to strive to be intentional about the sharing of our faith and as someone who is one of the world's most reluctant evangelists, I understand this focus. But I think our dependency should be evident even without a specific evangelistic outreach. After all, just like my grandfather can't help but talk about the weather, I should not be able to relate my life experiences without acknowledging Him who makes my life possible. The proper acknowledgment of His love and His justice is just as important for growth in my life as precipitation and sunshine are necessary for the fields. It shouldn't matter whether or not I'm trying to "tell someone about Christ"; Christ's influence in my life should be so central that my life story is His.

Long after my grandfather ceases to farm a thing, I can almost guarantee that the weather will be a primary topic of conversation. I hope that when I reach that age, the subject on my lips has also not changed.