Sunday November 2, 2014 | Greg Boyd
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
The topic for our third week in the Heart Smart series is communication. Communication is the essence of all relationships and as such, it is a very important aspect of who we are as image bearers of Christ. We should see communication as a Kingdom activity worth learning to do well.
The topic for our third week in the Heart Smart series is communication. Communication is the essence of all relationships and as such, it is a very important aspect of who we are as image bearers of Christ. The Triune God in his very nature is relationship. To communicate with another is to share our selves, thoughts, and feelings. Often times we reduce communication down to the acts of hearing and talking. Communication results in a shared common understanding about something. Part of what it takes for two people to come to such a common understanding is recognizing everyone has their own individual perspective in which they see the world. We all filter information differently depending on our experiences and understandings. This means that people can assume their meaning of a word is the real objective meaning about the way things are, but the truth is our view is only one factor of the equation. In order to communicate effectively, a person must learn to view things apart from their own filter. This process is difficult and challenging, but it is also so important. Communicating requires us to try and set aside our filters and get inside of the other person’s filter. This will involve resisting our tendency to ascribe our own meaning to words, gestures, and expressions, but rather try to access the other person’s meaning.
The Bible has much to say about communication. In James 1:19, believers are told to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. While too often we tend to think by talking more our point will be better heard, it is actually in learning to listen well that true communication begins to result. We should seek to understand the other person first, and then attempt to be understood. One way of doing this is to withhold your response until you are sure of what is being said. This will require us to set aside our own agendas and become intentionally about truly desiring to understand the other person. Listening should be thought of as an activity that involves just as much work as talking. Becoming an active listener is an important part of learning how to listen well. We should be listening beyond the words of another and seek to find the deeper heart and meaning behind their words. We can do this by asking probing questions and checking to make sure what you heard is what was meant. It is only after we are sure we are understanding the other person that we should respond. Our ability to communicate effectively with others is foundational to becoming an image bearer of Christ. While good communication is difficult, it is also a part of Kingdom living and will result in bringing about the Kingdom more fully in our world today.
Greg Boyd’s Discussion Intro