Truth without love becomes callous, even cruel. Love without truth is sentimental, even vacuous. We would always convey our religious heritage and identity as if speaking to persons we respect and value. In pursuing religious conversation over conversion we heed the savvy of English essayist William Hazlitt who refused to argue with people who disagreed with him, since he was never able to change their minds anyway and the only result was anger and frustration. Far better, he paradoxically suggested, to argue with those who were already in your camp.
Different occasions dictate distinct modes of sharing.
An essay is not the same as a letter. A faith-talk with your own child varies markedly from engaging a stranger at the market or comforting a dying friend. Aspire to be succinct yet ready to amplify. Remember that our gospel resides in a mindful heart rather than in any brochure or slogan and hungers to be shared existentially and imaginatively. People are more inspired by vivid experiences of personal faith than tedious explanations.