Everyone Hears Your Speakerphone but Not This

What is that thing that just bugs you? We all have at least one. If we’re honest, most of us have a few things that can drive us crazy.

One of mine? People talking on speakerphone in public.

Recently, I was sitting in a restaurant when a grandmother, mother, and little girl came in for breakfast. It was a sweet scene, three generations sharing a meal. Everything was calm and enjoyable… until the grandmother had to leave for work.

A few minutes later, the little girl, no older than three, started crying. Naturally, that pulled everyone’s attention. The mother picked up her phone, and before long, Grandma was back—this time on speakerphone.

And not quietly.

From nearly 25 feet away, I could hear everything. The comforting words to the little girl. The reminders that Grandma had to go to work. Instructions about taking food home and putting it in the fridge. Something about bringing something else home. Maybe even a comment about a broken fridge.

At one point, I caught myself thinking, Why do I need to hear all this?

Now, some of you are already nodding in agreement. Others are probably ready to defend the situation. And that’s fine.

I’ll just own it. It bothers me.

But it also challenged me.

Because it made me think about how easily we speak about some things… and how silent we are about others.

It brought to mind 2 Corinthians 4:13–15:

“It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”

In this passage, Paul is describing the joy he and his team found in the ministry of God. He acknowledges that they have put behind them their old, shameful ways and are now pursuing God’s mission. Even though they were pressured, persecuted, and pushed to the point of death, they endured.

They didn’t go quiet.

They spoke.

Honestly, many of us do the opposite. And by human standards, it makes sense. We hesitate because we’re unsure what people will think. We hesitate because we don’t feel prepared. Sometimes, if we’re being honest, we hesitate because we simply don’t want to.

And yet, we’ll say just about anything else.

We’ll share opinions freely. We’ll talk loudly in public spaces. We’ll post, comment, and debate from behind screens. We’ll let people hear all kinds of things about our lives.

But we won’t invite a friend to church. We won’t mention that we’ve been praying. We won’t say that we love Jesus.

Something about that feels off.

I’m not writing this as someone who gets it right all the time. I’ve missed opportunities. I’ve fumbled conversations. I’ve walked away thinking, I should have said something.

But that doesn’t mean we stop trying. It means we keep going. We keep learning. We keep speaking.

So this week, as we move toward Easter, take a step.

It doesn’t have to be big or polished. It can be as simple as, “I was praying about that the other day…” or “Something I read recently really stuck with me…” or even just inviting someone to church.

Some of you are already bold about your faith. Keep going.

For the rest of us, just take the next step. Trust that God will meet you there. Even when your words come out awkward. Even when you feel unsure. Even when you don’t get it quite right.

He’s not asking for a perfect presentation. He’s asking for obedience.

And here’s the part we often miss: your silence is shaping more than you think.

People already hear what matters to you. Every day, in a hundred small ways, you’re teaching them what’s worth talking about.

So what are they learning from you?

This week, let someone hear something different.

Not louder. Not forced. Just real.

Call a friend. Call your pastor. If you have to, put it on speakerphone in a public place.

Because if we’re honest, most of us don’t have a speaking problem.

We have a what we’re willing to speak about problem.

Anyway, I was just thinking...