'Think about it. Most of the conversations you had today were mundane and rather self-protective. We spend most of our time talking about things that are of little personal consequence - the weather, politics, sports and entertainment. There is nothing wrong with this except that it allows us to hide who we really are. A person may be terribly distraught about her marriage, yet when people ask how she is, she will quickly answer, "Fine, how are you?" The person asking doesn't really want to know and ther person asking doesn't really want to tell. They are co-conspirators in a casual relationship. Whether it is over the back of a pew, in passing at a school function, or over the phone, we are all skilled as newsy but personally protective conversations.'
Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change, p.164.
