Like an inspector, I spot the clues that lead to wrong. I can see the details of the injury and I must find out who did it. I must know the who’s, what, why’s and when’s. If I know, it will add up to a greater picture to create a greater plan. Then, I can really put my thinking cap on, add up the details and get busy with repairing what went wrong.
Ever been there?
Ever nodded your head yes to your inner inspector
believing your top cap holds all the rights to another’s wrongs?
Ever become the investigator,
the mediator
(and eventually the intimidator),
rather than the relater to pain?
Jesus models an image of perfect communication; while he never came across as a Mr. Fix it, fixing was naturally accomplished.
6 Ways to Effectively Communicate like Jesus:
1. Know who you are talking to, what they need and how to listen.
He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. Jo. 2:25
Know what is inside, outside, around and under a person, so you can see how to sit with, not preach to, a heart in need.
2. Understand that you could stand where that person stands.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin. Heb 4:15
There, but for the grace of God, go I.
3. Let the Spirit be the orchestrator of your words. Speak from God’s righteousness, verses your Godly righteousness.
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. 1 Cor. 2:4-6
When leader, the confirmer and the sealer of Christ’s work, the Spirit, guides your words, your words become meaningful.
4. Believe in your words and your words will become believable.
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:28-29).
All the authority of Jesus Christ has been handed you to you for present day purposes – act like it.
5. Encourage others in life application of their faith – so they figure it out, without you figuring it out.
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. Lu. 8:32
You might be sending someone into a monsoon, but soon they’ll likely find God.
6. Ask questions and then ask more(from the depths of love). Questions lead people to their own answers.
“Where is your faith?” Luke 8:25
When a person comes up with their own answer, they come up with their own plan of action, which will always work one hundred times better than ours.
Rather than relying on our inspector and fixer habits, we can rely on the Savior’s and healer’s habits. In the end, our mouths will speak not answers and solutions, but a glorious “Amen”, “God is working” and “Yes, yes yes!”
Yes to a calm heart that understands the Master is the master over all problems.
Yes to a deeper faith that trusts God’s needed working space between the major problem and a hurting person.
Yes to insightful prayer that go to the altar, before going to the table of action plans, contracts and how-to’s.
Yes to expectancy at how God may show up to Shalom, or welcome, one into his family, his truth and his love.
Yes to truth, wild truth, spoken with wild belief that seems to test the yes intention of our own heart to all Godly intentions.
What happens is glorious and marvelous – we see the Lord at work. We see his ways prevail in another’s heart a million times better than our policies, procedures and programs could have ever reigned.
We see his glory fall – and one who sees glory – sees God.
And, what we find, oftentimes, is the other one with stronger faith in the end – is us.
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