Communication Isn’t Easy!
We continue with our sermon series, “It’s All About Love!” Yesterday I preached on loving with your words. It was the kind of sermon I aimed at myself because it is so difficult to use the right words in the heat of the moment in relationships. Folks who came up to me said the message spoke to them. I assured them it spoke first of all to me.
How tough is it to love with your words? Communication experts say that the words we speak can acutally produce six distinct messages:
1. What you mean to say
2. What you actually say
3. What the other person hears
4. What the other person thinks they hear
5. What the other person says about what you said
6. What you think the other person said about what you said
What’s a person to do? Well, we keep on communicating but we do it carefully … thoughtfully … slowly … prayerfully … lovingly … so that we build up family and friends through using words that give hope and encouragement to those around us.
