Words (bis)
Trying to deal with “words”, using only 200 of them (or less) can leave “holes in a post”.
I took Deb’s comments to heart. I’m not sure a Spirit-filled, truthful message can be hurtful, for that implies ultimate intent. Spirit-filled messages may hurt, but their goal is to make aware and correct, to bring healing. Proverbs 12.18: Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Of course, as Randy reminded us, you can say the right thing but in the wrong way. I don’t have enough fingers or toes, or even hairs on my head to count the times I’ve stated the truth, but did it because I was irritated. That really makes people want to listen to me and be healed!
And I’ll bury this subject with a quick reference to Greg’s comment. Public speakers pay in spades for their “messages”. I’ve paid dearly on a human level for many a spoken word that was misunderstood. I have but myself to blame, or so my Freshman Communications Assistant to the Professor told us: “If people don’t understand you, it’s your fault.”
As James said: Let not many of you be teachers…
Now that’s hard to misunderstand.
I took Deb’s comments to heart. I’m not sure a Spirit-filled, truthful message can be hurtful, for that implies ultimate intent. Spirit-filled messages may hurt, but their goal is to make aware and correct, to bring healing. Proverbs 12.18: Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Of course, as Randy reminded us, you can say the right thing but in the wrong way. I don’t have enough fingers or toes, or even hairs on my head to count the times I’ve stated the truth, but did it because I was irritated. That really makes people want to listen to me and be healed!
And I’ll bury this subject with a quick reference to Greg’s comment. Public speakers pay in spades for their “messages”. I’ve paid dearly on a human level for many a spoken word that was misunderstood. I have but myself to blame, or so my Freshman Communications Assistant to the Professor told us: “If people don’t understand you, it’s your fault.”
As James said: Let not many of you be teachers…
Now that’s hard to misunderstand.
May 10th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
My hat is off to all of you who preach. Your “hearers” come with so much baggage to your messages that it’s almost impossible not to offend someone. I probably just offended someone with that statement.
Randy’s point is well taken for there are times we can say the “right thing” but do it in such a way that only the tone is received and not the message.
May 10th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Before the burial is complete, I must say I don’t fully agree with the communications assistant to the professor. Maybe he just didn’t say it well, but if I understand communication theory there is a message sent and a message received, and all kinds of garbage in between that can muddle the intended message. And there are filters through which they are sent and received. I have very little control over the garbage in between and certainly very little over the filters through which my message may be heard. Jesus was often misunderstood and I don’t think it was his fault! One case in point, his kingdom talk and their misunderstanding of a political king on the throne of Israel.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I just used some words with somebody that I shouldn’t have used at all, and certainly not at the time I used them. Timing and the way you say something makes all the difference. (I don’t know if I’ll ever get out of this paper bag!)
May 11th, 2007 at 1:23 am
I agree with the Stooge. It is not always the speaker’s fault. I am not sure about what is taught in Switzerland, but in the U.S. they have classes on public speaking, but not one class on public listening. We are suppose to listen to the professors, but they never instruct us on how to listen. We can choose to listen to only certain words or sometimes we just get distracted.
R.I.P. Subject
May 12th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
I’m in agreement with you on your spirit-filled conclusion. Hurtful words, veiled in love, true or otherwise still hurt. And don’t you just want to smack the person who hurts someone with their “truthful” words and when challenged responds with “I was just being honest”?