03-21-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
March 21, 2024
Yesterday, my sister Stephanie and I had an email exchange. It became a bit comical as I completely misunderstood the first email she sent, and from that initial misunderstanding, it sort of spiraled into utter chaos. Ok, that might be a bit overstated, but had it been something significant, I believe the outcome could have been unhelpful, even leaving two people or two groups at odds with one another. As our world creates new and astonishing ways of communicating, it seems that new doesn’t always mean better. I sort of wonder if our arrogance in regard to the sophistication of communication has left us a bit lethargic when it comes to clarity and purpose. Proverbs 10:13 says, “Wisdom is found on the lips of those who have understanding…” Of course, understanding is not simply an understanding of the topic that one is seeking to communicate, but an understanding of the audience, the unspoken expectations, the potential obstacles that exist between the parties communicating, and the humility to realize when one’s current method is not working. We all need to work on communication and not make the assumption that with more sophisticated or expeditious communication, everything will be better.

O Living Word, O Gentle Breath of the Divine, I need every bit of help I can get when it comes to the words I seek to speak into the world. Amen.