Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Lock (03/06/06)
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TITLE: Communication: The Key to Everything | Previous Challenge Entry
By Michael Tummillo
03/11/06 -
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I dare say, yes, it can.
Communication includes speaking, listening, writing and the like. As Christians, we serve a God who thrives upon Communication; spoken and written, logos and rhema. Beginning with the book of Genesis, repeatedly, we can read the words “God said.” As we know, the Ten Commandments were God’s words written in stone. He got our attention with that one.
In the New Testament, we read of Jesus saying again and again, “it is written.” During His wilderness encounter with the devil, we see Jesus communicating with the enemy, both of them not merely using words – but wielding the Word of God itself - as an offensive and a defensive weapon.
In Bible college, a professor asked the blasphemous question, “Can the Word of God administer death?” My mind cried out, “Perish the thought!” The professor explained and, the shocking truth is, yes, it can. We Christians often use God’s Word as an offensive weapon; a butcher knife to slaughter even those within the family of God.
It’s called “Scripture-Whipping.”
John referred to Jesus as “the Word made flesh.” God’s Word, when handled skillfully, should administer life to the hearers. Our every conversation should be seasoned with the goodness of God. As Paul wrote to the Colossians in Chapter 4 verse 6, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Do WE know how to answer everyone? In the old Paul Newman classic film, “Cool Hand Luke,” the famous line was spoken by the “Cap’n” of Road Prison 36,“What we've got here is failure to communicate.” Why do we continually fail at communicating? If communication is truly the key to everything, what is it that has that same “everything” door locked so tightly?
That would be none other than a complete LACK of communication. Or a lack of the desire to do so.
We call that a Cold War. James 4:1 tells us, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.”
Ask God? There’s that communication thing again. Jesus said, John 16:24,“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”
Go on. Give it a shot.
Certainly, there are good communicators and there are bad within our midst. Often times, we are all BOTH. Just as there are good and bad speakers and teachers, there are just as many poor listeners and inept learners. As those made in God’s image, we should strive to conform to the likeness of the One we serve, the Master Communicator.
Imagine if we actually got good at it. Oh, the doors we could unlock! Arguments would cease. Wars might end. The Gospel of Christ would finally reach all of humanity. In today’s vernacular, “Can’t we all just get along?” I’m afraid the answer to that question lies within each of us to decide with the next opportunity.
And those opportunities WILL come.
How badly do we want to communicate our thoughts and feelings? How much do we want to properly express our views? How else can we be quick to listen slow to speak and slow to anger if we don’t unlock the door to improved Communication? Gender to gender, ethnic group to ethnic group, generation to generation and denomination to denomination, as a baby cries when a soggy diaper needs changing, we, too, scream and raise a fuss when we need attention.
Surely, we can all do better than that.
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