Stuff About Things
Someone has said, "Big people talk about ideas; mediocre people talk about things; and little people talk about people." Well, that's good enough to give us something to talk about, if we can measure up to it.
The word conversation as used in the KI Bible meant "manner of life." We have both the early and later meaning of the term in mind when we say, the caliber of a man may be measured by his conversation; but we lean heavily toward the idea that his speech betrays the rest of him. Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matt.12:34)
Big people talk about ideas. This is not to say they have no concern for their fellow-man, nor for everyday affairs of life; but they have learned to be objective. They are motivated by high ideals, and pattern their lives by noble principles. These require understanding, and translation into workable programs. They meditate on these ideas, talk about them with others, and study their application to past history and to the present. Perhaps they, are not so much interested in what happened, as to why. Their view is wide, hence they see themselves very small.
Mediocre people are bound in a maze of things. Cumbered about much serving; their's not to reason why, but to do, and die. I suppose the world owes much to the mediocre, but they exact a fearsome toll. Their vision limited to immediate circumstances, like sheep without a shepherd, they wander aimlessly. They are "too busy" building barns to contemplate the value of the soul. They find a measure of comfort in being "average" and criticize the climber because he rocks their boat. Here are the masses of "good" people who allow evil to triumph because they "Keep quiet," or talk about other things.
But little people just talk about people. Their world is purely personal, and everything and every body is measured by the effect upon oneself. There are no principles involved in their own thinking, hence, they can not imagine others standing up for principles. They have never felt compelled to act because of ideals, so they impugn the motives of others. Ask them who took the city of Jericho and they'll declare they didn't, and then say that you accused them of it.
Poor little dried up souls, with a big big debt to pay on judgement day.