Much time and talk is spent about communications. In many organizations there isn’t much more done than talk. Communicating is hard work. Most of us want to communicate our message, but are less interested in letting others deliver their messages. My earliest recollection of meaningful communications was in the form of letters. I used to really look forward to letters from my grandmother who lived in California. The letters were so personal in nature. It was nice to hear of the events in the lives of our West Coast family. The connection has never been the same since Grandma died.
Years later another letter became important. While I was away to school it was nice to hear from home. Accounts of family happenings and various activities of friends left behind made the day a little brighter. The check that usually came with the monthly letter was nice too. II Corinthians 2:2 talks about a different type of letter. It reads,
"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men."
Hopefully, the letter of our example is positive for all crossing our paths. I’m reminded of the verse of a song I once heard: Your walk talks And your talk talks But, your walk talks... Louder than your talks talks.
Speaking of talking, the telephone really cut into the letter’s popularity as a communication tool. So often by the time a letter was received much of the content was old news or even had changed. The telephone made instant feedback possible and useful. Not all communication by telephone is positive. Hours have been wasted on gossip and misuse of time. Ephesians 4:29 gives us a great lesson in the use of our talk.
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."
It is so easy to engage in corrupt communication. Questionable language can defeat the “letter” we are trying to write with our life. Participation in smutty or off-color jokes or stories can inhibit our fellowship with our Heavenly Father, who is a righteous and holy God. When I think of corrupt communication I always think of the virus that infects and effects our computer operations. A virus can halt those wonderful information and communication tools until the virus can be neutralized. In some cases the virus might even totally disable the instrument.
The great access to information given by electronic mail and Internet browsing has also enhanced communications. We can become somewhat invisible and isolated if we aren’t careful. All of these great tools can be used for good or evil. They are neither good nor evil, but used for our purpose. We are all challenged to make our communications better and better.
"The greatest discovery of our generation is that we can change our lives by altering our attitudes of mind." William James
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5
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