They say “talk is cheap”–and actions are better. Recent events in my life, however, have focused my thinking around the topic of language and communication. Since the pandemic and the rise of technology, much of our talking is not verbal, but written. We often text and post on social media and have discovered how easy it is to receive the wrong message from each other.
Here’s some simple examples: I’ve had some health scares in the emergency room, and even the hospital lately. When I got home, some relatives texted me that they would be coming to my house for a visit at around 8:30. Did they mean morning, or 8:30 at night? Maybe it was even the next day. It was unclear and I really wanted to be ready for their arrival.
Another amusing episode happened later that day. I had just been told that my daughter’s pastor might stop by and have prayer with me sometime that week. So, when I got a text message from someone who said he was Pastor Michael, I thought it was her pastor, who’s name is Mike. But, it turned out that my pastor, whose name is also Michael, had texted me from a different cell number that I didn’t have listed in my “contacts”, so I thought it was my daughter’s pastor who was coming at 2 o’clock. (P.S. There are several Adventist pastors in my hometown. Thankfully, only two Michaels!)
Imagine my surprise when the wrong Michael showed up at my door at the specified time! It wasn’t until after Pastor Michael’s visit that I was able to unravel my mistake and find out where I had gotten off track in my texting and confused about which pastor was coming.
Let’s remember these examples when it comes to our communication with others about God. It’s vital to be concise and accurate in our messaging. Especially when it comes to the Second Coming of Jesus. Although the Bible gives us signs to watch for, let’s be honest about not knowing precisely when or even how it will happen (Matthew 25:13). Only God knows the details. We only know the signs of it being near.
We also must be careful about sending wrong signals about who is coming in the clouds with all His angels. (Don’t be fooled like I was about my pastors.) We may be setting people up to be misled by focusing on some other important personage rather than the Lord. We must keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone can save us from this sinful world (1 Timothy 6:15).
Finally, we can take comfort and relax in our private prayer time with God. Our all-knowing Father understands us fully, even when all we can mutter are primitive groanings (Romans 8:26). Holding frequent conversations with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and hearing Him speak to us through the Bible (Revelation 1:3) are the best ways to develop our communication skills. When we stay close to God, He impresses us with just what to say, when to say it, and to whom it needs to be said (John 14:26). Thank you, Jesus!
