It's been too long

Sorry I haven't updated my thoughts lately...seems like that plate gets more full each day! Today was a good day. I pulled off an incredible dangle (according to my standards!!) at hockey in the morning, and then got to hear how God has been working in the hearts of my teammates and colleagues at work for the major portion of my day. Also got cracked by the chiropractor and am now hoping that the work benefits from this new job actually pay for medical expenses...cough, cough.

One thing that stood out to me today was hearing the story of one of the dudes I play hockey with. His name is Kevin. My buddy Tony and I were chatting about a mutual friend of ours who has been trying to find a full-time ministry position and the challenges that he has been facing. Kevin, a non-churched individual, piped in with his thoughts about communication which got me to thinking.

Kevin shared about how it's better to over-communicate than under communicate. He shared about what it felt like to be kept in the dark at his place of work prior to the company going belly up, and he shared about his desire to be kept in the loop in order to feel valued as an employee.

Like I said, it got me to thinking...maybe this is why relationships break down. In fact, I know this is why. We simply stop communicating with each other. I read a stat somewhere that said 80% of communication is non-verbal. That's a lot!! When you think about what that means for relationships, it has HUGE implications. Is it more important that students heard you say the right things, or do them?

I see this presupposition played out in the lives of my family. Our daughter Saydie is 2, and our son Cannon is just over 7 months old. Bonny & I have never sat Saydie down and told her how to show love to her brother. Saydie has simply picked up on our actions, and in her own way, and begun to show love to others. We take the time to use our words, and our actions to communicate our love for our children to each of them. In turn, they take what they have experienced and begin to apply it to the other relationships they are forming in their lives.

I know I seem to keep harping on the same theme, but love is an active word. I think communication is a large part of the love equation. Taking time to connect with people, call them back, email them back, and actively LISTEN to them first instead of trying to download one's opinions can do way more good than harm.

I know that Obama's foreign policy has come under much scrutiny. Regardless of what you think of him as a person, you have got to admire his tenacity to stick to his principles. Essentially, Obama has suggested, implied and demonstrated that he is willing to sit down and listen to any and every other foreign leader in our world. When I hear about this, I can't help but think that Obama gets it. He understands that in order to be heard, you must first be willing to hear.

Jesus modelled this very same lesson. Jesus took the time to listen to people first, and then share His story with them. In choosing to listen, Jesus communicated more to the people He took time for than any number of words others could have shared with them. Jesus' communication reached its' culmination with His death and resurrection on the cross. Jesus again took time to show people what He wanted them to know, communicating a timeless message of love that will outlive us all.

Communication is the key.