Communication
Tumaini Articles #3
God craves communication with us, His children. That’s why we need to pray: to talk, to ask, to praise, to thank our Maker because He desires fellowship with us. That’s also why it’s so important to read and meditate on God’s Word to keep in touch with our Creator and how He wants us to live. God is a God of relationships. It is our personal relationship to God that is the most important part of our faith and our spiritual life. God delights in open and honest communion like He had with David who confessed in Psalm 51, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit and a contrite heart.” Perhaps because of his openness and honesty before God, David was referred to as a “man after God’s own heart.” I think a big reason why Moses was called meek is because of his close relationship with God and how he poured out his heart to the Lord.
Communication is to a relationship what blood is to the body. If the blood stops flowing, the body will die. Similarly if communication gets blocked, a relationship will start spurting; and if communication stops, a relationship will wither and die. I’m sure we can all think of situations where misunderstandings and disagreements within organizations like churches, mission agencies, and schools can lead to all kinds of problems if there isn’t good communication. This same thing happens in families. When good communication skills are practiced in love and with respect, the odds for conflict, division, infighting, and bickering are greatly reduced.
Listening is probably the most helpful communication skill there is. Can you remember a boss, a mission director, or fellow missionary who sat down with you and asked you about your work and family and really wanted to know because they were interested in you. Can you remember how good it felt to be really understood by someone who is important to you? But the problem with listening is that it takes time, and we have such busy lives. Children tend to blossom in families where parents take time to really listen and be present physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s difficult to listen when emotions are running high or when people are upset, so it can be helpful to take a time out and come back to the issue later when you can more calmly listen and talk together. Many people think that they have to solve things this very moment, but that often leads to arguments and escalated conflict. It’s like two countries at war, and then they both decide that it isn’t working, and they agree to set a time to sit down and talk things out. Usually it’s around a huge table (perhaps to prevent any physical altercations!!), and then they can listen to each other and try to negotiate a treaty or a peace agreement.
At Tumaini we can offer effective communication skills and help relationships to flourish and grow, both with God and with those who are close to you. We can be reached by calling 0728-606-911 or by email at tumaini.ac@aimint.org
Ray Hommes
