Would you climb into a ball pit with a perfect stranger?

I love this video! Curiosity takes hold and gets people out of their comfort zones and soon they’re making new friends and discovering their shared humanity. Even strangers can have a lot in common; they just need a little push to get talking.

It’s refreshing to feel connected because there’s so much that divides us. So often like attracts like and difference repels. Christians can especially feel worlds apart from non-Christians. You may have wondered, How would I even start a conversation with that biker next door or that musician across the street? The differences can seem like an impenetrable wall, so we don’t even try.

But there’s a way through that wall (it’s called small talk). Sure it’s uncomfortable at first, but if you put yourself out there, risk a bit, and try talking to a few strangers, you’re bound to find points of connection between you and just about anyone. And from there, you can nurture the relationship until it becomes an incredible avenue for sharing the love of God.

The Bible encourages us to talk to strangers (I wouldn’t tell young kids that though). That’s how Lydia came to know Jesus in Acts 16. She was hanging out with other women outside the city gate when Paul struck up a conversation with them (Acts 16:13-14).

Imagine the joy you’ll experience when you connect genuinely with someone new and experience God using you to change a life. Sometimes, to get started, we just need to jump into a bin of balls with a complete stranger.

updated August 2019