Benefical Eavesdropping

My day was spent in a hospital waiting room.
I took a friend to have a medical procedure done. Since she had to stay put for awhile afterward I got acquainted with the waiting room.
There was a lot of traffic in and out but at one point it was only me and two other ladies.
They were having a conversation that caught my attention and I shamelessly admit I stopped what I was doing and just listened.
It is rare, especially in these parts, to hear a conversation about God so I was surprised to hear that these ladies were not only talking about God but having a pretty in depth discussion about their daily walk with God and overall relationship with Him.
One of the ladies mentioned the fact that she did shorter devotions three times a day because her life was so full of outside voices and things desiring to pull her away that she needed those times to stay focused on Him in the midst of her daily distractions at work and home. She had committed to doing this because, and I quote, "you just never know what the day will hold and our only hope of making it is staying close to Him so I've made that a priority every day."
Well then, I guess that puts me in my place.
But the biggest thing to me was that these women were having a real conversation about God in a place where their topic may not have been very well accepted and they didn't care.
Sometimes I think we hesitate to say certain things because we are afraid of what people will think when they hear us. That certainly used to be me.
Thankfully I have gotten over that and have even had the privilege of having Bible studies with friends at places like Panera Bread or the coffee house. These have been wonderful experiences and I've learned not to keep silent about my beliefs. I refuse to be quiet about it even at the risk of "offending" someone. (I say, if they are offended they don't have to listen.)
But where I am going with this is simply, when we talk, whether we realize it or not people around us are listening. Sometimes we can be a witness just by having a conversation with our friends because you can be sure that someone is doing a little eavesdropping of their own and you might just be saying something that they need to hear.
Our conversation and conduct is being observed even when we are unaware. We have a choice in what impact that observation will have.
Today I heard something that encouraged and convicted me. It was also comforting to hear strangers speaking about someone I love and know they share that love. In that moment I felt bonded to them. In all likelihood our paths will never cross again but for that moment, I connected with them. It's a connection all believers have because we are all in His family.
I'm thankful for people like them, who have such a relationship with Him they talk about Him wherever they go. He's so much a part of their lives that they can't help but speak of Him.
I hope that when others eavesdrop on me, no matter where I am or who I'm with, they will hear things that make them realize who I am, what I know and Who I know. I pray that my topic of conversation will be an encouragement or a conviction to people around me and that God will get glory from it.