chapter 1: thank you, god, for the ability to communicate

Let's start at the very beginning. (Maria in The Sound of Music told me that’s a very good place to start.)

Communication was created by God. Adam was created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and was created with the ability to understand language and to speak. We know this because God talked to Adam and told him very early in his life to name the animals, which he did (Genesis 2:20). We see no record of Adam developing his own system of language or struggling to figure out what God was saying to him. Instead, this was something Adam knew instantly. Eve, his helpmeet, was also able to communicate with Adam and with God, and we know this from multiple passages in Genesis 2-3. (Pause now to read Genesis 2-3 and note the places where Adam or Eve is communicating within their first days on earth.)

Even though Adam and Eve could use words properly, their communication choices weren’t always godly. We see early in the Bible that just because you can talk doesn’t always make your communication righteous. And just because you think you’re hidden doesn’t mean you’re not still communicating with your absence. (We’ll discuss more about that in a future chapter.)

Before we move further, let’s discuss common terminology used to describe communication.

Whether you know it or not, you’re always a SENDER and RECEIVER of information. People are paying attention to what you’re saying both verbally and nonverbally all the time. As a Christian, this is even more important for you than it is for people in the world. Sometimes your primary function is as the sender, simply because you’re in a position to deliver the majority of the content out loud. If we look to Jesus as our example, though, we see many occasions where He asked questions (Matthew 16:15; Matthew 20:32; Mark 8:19 – see if you spot more examples as you do your own study this week) instead of delivering a longer sermon. His goal was often to get other people talking instead of doing the talking Himself.

If even the Master Teacher often chose to be the receiver instead of the sender during His work on earth, what lessons can I learn from that?

Additionally, though, I must be aware that I am sending information even when I am not making audible noise. And just like my verbal communication should reflect Jesus, so should my nonverbal communication (discussed in a future chapter).

Because we live in the world, there are always distractions. These distractions – or NOISE – can be internal or external. I’m a preacher’s daughter, so it’s ok for me to admit this (sorry, Dad), but have you ever been listening to a sermon and gotten distracted? (There are also stories about what I did to distract the congregation when I was much younger and cuter and allowed to sit on the front row while my dad was preaching. Since I’m the one writing these materials, though, those stories will be lost forever.)

During one-on-one conversations, during meetings, or even during sermons, distracted thinking can cause us to miss something important.

Did you know that distractions are often temptations? If you’re listening to a sermon about a topic that’s something you really need to hear, Satan has no desire for you to keep listening. If you’re reading your Bible or listening to an audio or video Bible lesson, be aware of how quickly you remember your dirty dishes or laundry or how hungry you are.

It’s also possible, of course, to become internally distracted by things like, “I don’t think I agree with this” or “That’s too hard to do.” If you find your mind going to spots like that, let it go to Mark 4 immediately instead. Read (or reread) the Parable of the Sower. Were you sown among thorns? Have you let the cares of the world distract you from more important things? Are you allowing Satan to choke out more important things?

WHAT ARE THREE SPECIFIC THINGS YOU CAN DO GOING FORWARD TO MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS?

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You and I have to get close enough to share an ENVIRONMENT if communication is ever to happen. Communication can happen in all sorts of places and all sorts of ways. When God created Adam and Eve, the only method of communication that was necessary was talking face to face. As humans have moved all over the earth, we’ve developed other methods of communication. We can now communicate almost as quickly with someone across the world as we can with someone across the room.

Importantly, though, if I don’t allow myself to get close and vulnerable with you, communication will either not happen or will always be superficial. 

Galatians 6:2 reminds us to “bear one another’s burdens.” If I don’t know what your burdens are, I can’t do that. And I can’t blame that solely on you if I’ve never made an effort to get to know you.

If our only interactions are quick handshakes or hellos at church services, you likely don’t know me well enough to know what I like and don’t like or what my usual facial expressions mean. If you spend some time with me, though, you’ll know that I love college sports (especially my beloved Tennessee Volunteers) and that I tend to have a serious face even when I’m having a great day. You’ll know that I enjoy public speaking more than I enjoy chit chat (it can make me nervous). And you’ll know that I love cheesecake and hate coffee. You’ll even know how many siblings I have and where they live.

WHO ARE THREE SPECIFIC PEOPLE IN YOUR CONGREGATION THAT YOU CAN MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET TO KNOW BETTER IN THE COMING WEEK?

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WHAT ARE THREE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK TO BEGIN LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOUR SISTERS OR BROTHERS?

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