To conclude our series, we’re going to look at one of the most basic yet complex aspects of being a human – communication! Did you know, it is IMPOSSIBLE to NOT communicate?
This is one of the 4 primary principles of communication, according to psychologytoday.com. The other three are The Message Sent is Not Necessarily the Message Received, Every Message has both Content and Feeling, and Non-verbal Cues are More Believable Than Verbal Cues.
Communication is defined as sending and receiving information from one place, person, or group, to another. The key part of communication is the combination of the SENDING and the RECEIVING. Communication is NEVER a solo event. Without a receiver, without understanding, any information that gets sent, is just projection and noise. This is where MIS-, MISSED, or MISSING COMMUNICATION happens and relationships fall apart.
When it comes to our dog, there is NO difference as we seek to navigate sharing life while speaking different languages. I’m discovering the mis-, missed, and missing communication between Cocoa and us sheds some new light on these four principles that might help us in our spiritual journey as well as in our social interactions.
As much as I’d like to…maybe…I don’t speak dog. That is for sure. Our languages do not overlap as far as shared sounds, syllables, and sentences. We have no common speech patterns and therefore, as you are well aware, our interactions have their limitations. I say something and expect a certain response and often am met with a cockeyed or coy look that says, HUH, or ALL I HEAR IS WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH! Despite the struggles, at times, we are able to have meaningful interaction where information is exchanged. An interpreter would just make things so much better!
This is how it seems to be with God. And while the exchange of language is complicated or unnatural at best, there is still great possibility for communication (although, an interpreter would be nice)!
Jesus spends a substantial amount of his short life being that interpreter. In his inaugural sermon, he imparts some significant insight ABOUT other information that has long been misinterpreted.
People had believed already for millennia that God had been communicating with humans through various means. In Jesus’ present day, there was an entire collection of scrolls that were held as the written word of God to people. The problem came in the understanding, or the receiving of the message.
Jesus gave these people 7 phrases that go like this: “You have heard that it was said…but I tell you…” In essence, the things you’ve heard are not quite right and what I am telling you is the WHOLE truth and nothing but the truth.
God desires to make sure people understand what is being communicated. Somewhat surprising is the correlation to the 4 principles of communication we looked at to start.
1. God is ALWAYS communicating something to people, to individuals. And Jesus was and is the interpreter who brings clarity to what we hear and long to know. The word of God, the Bible, is still alive and active…useful for instructing us in right living (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 3:16).
2. The message just OFTEN gets misunderstood. People hear what they want to suit what they desire. People have given God credit for ALL kinds of stupid things. Heck, I even used the 2000s pop group, B2K, to falsely present a word of God so I could date a girl I knew I shouldn’t!
3. Each message is full of the heart/feelings of God and deep truth about Godself, for God’s people or about God’s people.
4. God most frequently uses nonverbal cues since we cannot understand the native tongue of God fluently. Through scripture, nature, music, art, creation, silence, dance, food, colors, singing, other people, we hear the word of God proclaiming to us each day. It’s up to us what to do with it, but we will be wise if we hear, listen, and follow through (Matt 7:24).
People tend to say one thing and mean another and can even do something altogether different. It’s quite a cluster and no wonder we have a hard time understanding each other. But God says something, means it, and allows follows through with what is said.
So, what is God saying to you today? What do you need to hear from God?
Would you take a moment to just listen? Really stop, tune in, and seek to hear from God?
Maybe give Matthew 5-7 a read and see if there is anything that sticks out to you there. Might be your word from God today.
I’d love to know what is being communicate or if you are waffling in your understanding, I’d be more than happy to help sort through it!
#TheBeastWithin
#SayWhat
#RestoringWholenessOfLife
Brett
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