The best conversations are those which promote equal billing. By that I mean both parties get to share equally and one person is not always redirecting everything back to themselves. You know what I mean. Every time you start a story about your life, somehow it ends up talking about their life.

Some people see the whole world from their own box seats. It always irks me when I’m with such a person but it does have a valuable side effect. It makes me wonder if there are times when others are irked with me for the same reason. I bet they are. I’m as guilty as the next person now and again.

Then I’m reminded of this; “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself.” (Philippians 2:3) The give and take of a conversation is a perfect opportunity to analyze just how often we each fall into the “it’s all about me” trap.

Reviewing a conversation afterward is a good time to honestly admit who took top billing. If the answer nine times out of ten is ME something is wrong. Maybe it means a willingness for the other person to fulfill that scripture in Philippians but an unwillingness to practice it ourselves?

One who craves top billing won’t mind that though. They will consider it only right because after all, isn’t it really all about me?