Top 10-#5 Communication is important

You are a communicator. You are different than the rest of life on earth.

The plants live by cause and effect. If you put a seed in the ground and it receives nutrients from the soil, warmth from the sun and moisture from the sky, it will do what is in its DNA. Plants are involved in a give-and-take cycle that is about exchanging energy.

Animals seem to live by instinct. They know what to do and spend their whole lives doing it: eating, pooping, sleeping (they’re really good at that one), reproducing, etc. This morning the dove eggs in a nest outside my kitchen window are being protected by mama (or papa) dove as it snows.

People are different; we’re much more complex than things that live by instinct or cause and effect.

We have the ability to reason, can emote, possess freewill, are creative, and communicate. I think we can do all these things because we’re made in God’s image.

Communication has been around a long time; it’s right from the beginning of the bible. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God.” The word for God is actually Gods; it is plural. It presumes that God has always existed. If God consists of multiple persons that have existed forever, one has to assume they have communicated forever.

You cannot have relationship without communication.

God used communication to make the world; They spoke the world into existence.

Jesus was called the Word.

Jesus told stories and asked questions more than anything else. He was a master communicator.

Good, healthy, effective, loving communication is essential for healthy relationships. When we withhold affection, say harmful words, withdraw, or even focus on what we want to say next, we are being selfish and unkind; we are not honoring the other person.

Communication is about well-chosen words, how words are spoken, and what we say through glances and body language. But it’s also about being a good listener, honoring the speaker, giving eye contact and showing respect. Healthy relationships are a balance of give-and-take.

As Maya Angelou (and others) have said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

You and I are a communicators. If it’s part our unique design, perhaps it deserves more attention.

I am challenged to think about my communication and learn how to do it better.