Do you "dabble" in wise communication?
TODAY'S PROVERB: For as churning milk produces butter, and twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife. Proverbs 30:33
Talk about relevant. Today's proverb speaks of stirring up anger--something so widespread thanks to technology, that even toddlers mimic strong emotions on play cellphones.
Why is the "stirring" happening? I think, we may be losing the art of communication.
Communication is a two-way process. To do communication well, we must learn how to effectively send and receive messages.
Perhaps we should begin one step before: what is the goal of our communication?
If our goal is to impart information we think is helpful, how we relay this to someone should still involve that other person. We may think our info is valuable, but if we force it on them we can stir up frustration, which leads to anger, then strife. Strife closes hearts and makes it difficult to recover ground.
As my friend, Daniah says, we need people's "eyeballs." Eye contact creates a sacred space between two people. How we treat that opportunity goes a long way in determining the outcome of the exchange.
Tone of voice and inflection of speech are also very important. Tone and inflection are the vehicle of our message. If it's too loud, too slow, or sputters and fumes, the message can get lost. It may never arrive at its destination.
One of the most often tools used to get our message across to others has been social media. Is it an effective means of communication? Or is it a tool for stirring up strife?
Both.
As Jesus followers, I think we must be careful how we use such a broad way to enter people's hearts and minds with our message.
We must remember that the two most important components of communication are missing from this media--eye contact and audible speech. And it can't be replaced with better technology.
If we create artificial sacred space, we still carry the responsibility of our words. Using all caps in a post or ranting in a vlog spews emotions that can stir up anger or, even worse, rejection or other harm.
Sharing our thoughts may resonate with others--and it's my hope and prayer that mine will with you--but, ultimately, it shouldn't replace face to face communication. We need it. We need the healthy exchange of message and response.
The irony is not lost on me that I'm telling you to be wary of social media communication. But, if we can treat social media as a spice to our information meal, then it can be a delicious way to enjoy new and fresh insights to the truth of GOD's word and kingdom. And that's a good thing.
May we practice the art of communication, my friends.
Proverbs 30:33, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH MONDAY through FRIDAY LIVE at 8:30EST, Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with the book of Proverbs. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
Talk about relevant. Today's proverb speaks of stirring up anger--something so widespread thanks to technology, that even toddlers mimic strong emotions on play cellphones.
Why is the "stirring" happening? I think, we may be losing the art of communication.
Communication is a two-way process. To do communication well, we must learn how to effectively send and receive messages.
Perhaps we should begin one step before: what is the goal of our communication?
If our goal is to impart information we think is helpful, how we relay this to someone should still involve that other person. We may think our info is valuable, but if we force it on them we can stir up frustration, which leads to anger, then strife. Strife closes hearts and makes it difficult to recover ground.
As my friend, Daniah says, we need people's "eyeballs." Eye contact creates a sacred space between two people. How we treat that opportunity goes a long way in determining the outcome of the exchange.
Tone of voice and inflection of speech are also very important. Tone and inflection are the vehicle of our message. If it's too loud, too slow, or sputters and fumes, the message can get lost. It may never arrive at its destination.
One of the most often tools used to get our message across to others has been social media. Is it an effective means of communication? Or is it a tool for stirring up strife?
Both.
As Jesus followers, I think we must be careful how we use such a broad way to enter people's hearts and minds with our message.
We must remember that the two most important components of communication are missing from this media--eye contact and audible speech. And it can't be replaced with better technology.
If we create artificial sacred space, we still carry the responsibility of our words. Using all caps in a post or ranting in a vlog spews emotions that can stir up anger or, even worse, rejection or other harm.
Sharing our thoughts may resonate with others--and it's my hope and prayer that mine will with you--but, ultimately, it shouldn't replace face to face communication. We need it. We need the healthy exchange of message and response.
The irony is not lost on me that I'm telling you to be wary of social media communication. But, if we can treat social media as a spice to our information meal, then it can be a delicious way to enjoy new and fresh insights to the truth of GOD's word and kingdom. And that's a good thing.
May we practice the art of communication, my friends.
Proverbs 30:33, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH MONDAY through FRIDAY LIVE at 8:30EST, Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with the book of Proverbs. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
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