Recently, at the middle school where I work as a substitute teacher, I had a conversation with the Spanish teacher that didn’t go so well. We were talking about one of the Spanish lessons I had to teach (By the way, I don’t speak Spanish). Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication. Something I said didn’t come out right, and my words were misinterpreted. The miscommunication resulted in a much longer conversation to clear up the misunderstanding.
Maybe something similar has happened to you. You know what you want to say. You think you’re speaking clearly only to discover that the person listening took your words the wrong way. Your words were misconstrued, and what you intended to say didn’t come through.
What can we do to help us avoid miscommunication? What can we do to make our speech clear and unambiguous?
One thing that helps to avoid misunderstandings is eye contact. Look at the person you’re talking to so they can see your face. When they can see your face, especially your eyes, they can usually read your intentions. Body language speaks louder than words. A smile goes a long way in conveying your good intentions.
You’ve probably heard the adage: think before you speak. That’s great advice, but sometimes we don’t have time to think about what we’re going to say. Often, all we can do is do our best to say the right thing. That’s when it’s important to stay on topic. When you don’t have time to plan what you want to say, it’s important to stick to your topic. Stay focused on your main point. Don’t get distracted. Don’t ramble or meander into nonessential issues. Stay on topic. Don’t talk about things that aren’t related to your main point.
Another key to good communication is to keep it simple. I’m a simple person. I try to say things so that people can understand me. Keeping things simple has helped me in my ministry as a preacher and teacher. Much of my ministry was cross-cultural, working with people for whom English is a second language. Keeping things simple was the key to success. When you keep things simple, people can usually understand you.
Another key to good communication is to listen. Listen to what the other person is saying. Pay attention to their reaction, especially to their body language. If the person you’re talking to looks confused or baffled or has an expression other than the one you expected, chances are they didn’t understand. Chances are you’re not getting through.
In my conversation with the Spanish teacher, we were able to iron out the difficulty, and the conversation ended cordially. Yeah! But it probably won’t be the last time I’ll say something that is misconstrued.
People often have problems when it comes to communication. Fortunately, God doesn’t have that problem. God is the best communicator. He can speak all languages. His grammar and syntax are impeccable in every language. Not only is God el primero when it comes to speaking, he’s also a good listener. God listens patiently even when we mumble and stutter. He can interpret the meaning of our words even when we can’t express them clearly. The Bible says: “Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely (Psalm 139:4).”
God’s ability to communicate and listen is important in two ways. First, God is a good speaker. God has spoken in his word the Bible. God has revealed himself in his word, the Bible. Through the Bible he has explained himself. Yes, there are some things in the Bible that are hard to understand, but the most important things–the things that really matter–can be understood by anyone. Even little children can grasp the Bible’s most profound truths. For example, God loves you. That seems plain and simple enough. God does not want you to be bad. Who can’t understand that? If you do something bad, God can forgive you. Forgiveness comes when you are sorry for what you’ve done and believe in Jesus. Obviously, these truths are deep and complex–even mysterious, but they are also very simple. God knows how to make himself understood. God knows how to keep it simple.
The second way God is a good communicator is that he is a good listener. God hears our prayers. God hears your prayers. God speaks to us through the Bible. God listens to us through prayer.
When you pray—and I hope you do pray—when you pray, there are a few ground rules to remember. First, when you talk to God, the best policy is to be honest. God knows what you’re thinking, and he knows how you feel. God wants you to express your feelings honestly, but don’t forget who you’re talking to. God is not like one of your friends. He’s the almighty creator of the universe. You must show him the respect he deserves. Remember, the Bible says the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God.
Second, when you talk to God, don’t use special words or flowery language. Sometimes I’ll hear someone pray with a special prayer voice. Let me tell you something. God is not impressed because you pray in a special way. People pray this way to impress other people. I believe God is greatly disappointed when people turn their prayers into a show for other people. Remember what Jesus said:
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. . . When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full (Matthew 6:1, 5).
God is a good communicator because he keeps things simple and because he is a good listener.
So how can you be a better communicator? First, make eye contact with the person or persons you’re speaking to. Second, stay on topic. Don’t ramble. Third, keep it simple, and last, but not least, be a good listener. If you follow these steps, you will be a better communicator.
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