ARE YOU COMMUNICATING?

 

ARE YOU COMMUNICATING?

 

I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete
(2 John 12 NIV).

 

The most frequent complaint heard by marriage counselors is "my spouse won't talk to me." As one pastor was counseling a married couple, the wife kept shouting at the husband and he kept shouting back — with neither one listening to the other.

 

The pastor took the husband aside and told him that if he wanted effective counsel he would have to do as the pastor said. The husband agreed, and the pastor said, "Every time I nod my head at you, say, 'You may be right.'"

 

Back together again, the couple resumed their argument. The pastor nodded his head, and the husband said, "You may be right." A few minutes later, this happened again. After several occurrences the woman stopped yelling and said, "That's the first time you ever suggested I might be right about anything."

 

From that point on, they began to communicate.

 

Most of our differences would be mediated quickly if we would simply be willing to talk face-to-face and really listen to each other. James has some good advice: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19).

 

Life response: I will take time to listen and talk to the significant others in my life.