Communication is Key
I realized, this week, that I do not communicate with people very well.
You would think that, me being a ‘people’ would know how to clearly convey what I am thinking to another ‘people.’ Hear me say this, “I am still learning, and I will try harder to put my thoughts into words for you—all of you.”
It’s harder than you think when you have so many diverse friends and talk to so many different people on a daily basis.
I am in awe to watch my husband, Jason, talk to people and ‘see’ them understand what he is saying. So, I have decided to be his student.
I have come to learn that unless I learn how to communicate with my fellow man, I will continue to be a blubbering idiot.
Being a blubbering idiot is really not one of the things that was on my list of future goals when I graduated from high school.
I just can’t believe that I have to be in my forties to know that I need to do something about it. I guess better late than never. You know, I could be selfish and just ask you to get over it and understand me, but then what good does that do?
You’ll never want to talk to me again! Therefore, I will pay the cost, and will once again try to get out of my ‘box.’ I will commence with ongoing education. And I hate to say this, but I think that we could all use a little ongoing instruction when it comes to our neighbor.
You see, we are all different. Not only are we culturally different, but we are economically different, we are educated differently, we are different ages and don’t forget that we have to communicate with the opposite sex.
Wow, now try putting all that together and get through a day. Some people just plow right through, then, we have the thinkers and the real communicators—the ones who care what other people ‘hear’ them say. This can be very overwhelming.
Jason was working with a co-volunteer awhile back, and became concerned that the person didn’t hear what he was actually saying. So he asked if they could sit down together and listen to what the other said and tell what they really heard. And believe it or not, what they heard was not what the other said.
They stayed in that meeting for a couple of hours and came out being able to truly communicate and now have an excellent working relationship.
It’s amazing. Amazing that two people would sit down and actually try to relate to each other. That would intimidate most people, because you never really know the outcome of a meeting like that. I suppose most people would think that it could get ugly.
Paul told us in Corinthians 9:22, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
We should remember this when we are interacting with our brother or our sister. If we are out and about offending and not caring what others think of us, how can we be a light in darkness when they need us?
At some point, we should care. We should care if our words hurt or if they heal. Have you taken the time to think about it?