do you understand?

I want to revisit why I began to write this blog… I awoke with a start and a sense that I had indeed had a spiritual visitation. 

I remember my Armenian grandmother; I was 9 when she died. She was buried in a vacuum-sealed coffin wearing the beautiful ivory lace shawl with which she covered her head for church. In my vision she didn’t have her head covered and there was someone with her. She began to speak to me, very insistent, “Speak to the people in words they can understand” she said, that statement was followed by one I will not repeat here, I knew it was something I needed to think about.

I have been the leader of prayer meetings, where I would teach a short lesson before praying for the needs of the people, and I have taught Bible classes for years, and I always taught in a way that even the youngest attendant could understand anything I was saying. I don’t pride myself in using words that make people have to go to the dictionary to find the meaning, I want anyone to know exactly what I am saying because I don’t speak without knowing it is something that has been inspired by the Holy Spirit, so when I heard this statement, I wondered about it.

Genesis 11:6 And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. 

                 One reason we don’t all just get along is that we don’t understand each other. 

We may be speaking the same language, but somehow, we miscommunicate, and it causes problems of misunderstanding, then comes confusion and ultimately an argument, walking away, feeling that no one understands us. 

God saw that by having good communication there was nothing these people could not accomplish! Could it be that you and your (wife/husband), children, boss, pastor, church friends could accomplish building a love filled home, discovering new projects, learning spiritual truths, building a church, by communicating our thoughts, hopes, dreams, ideas in a simpler way? 

I try to give my thoughts in a positive way without putting any emphasis on what I think is wrong with the person to whom I am talking’s ideas or thoughts. It doesn’t always work, sometimes I open mouth and insert foot, but at least I am trying! 

In the case of the Tower of Babel, these people wanted to build a name for themselves with no thought of giving glory to God had occurred to them, so God, not willing to share His glory with man, did the one thing that would stop them in their tracks, that was to confuse their language!

Next time you get into an argument with someone, stop and think about how it happened, start again and see if you can make yourself understood. 

Habakkuk 2:2 (the Lord is speaking to Habakkuk here) And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.

What good does a message, sermon, thought, idea, or anything else do when it falls on ears that do not understand what you have just said? 

When I found myself with no other means of communicating encouragement, or explain the Word in my simple way, I began to write this blog and, hopefully, I write it in words that can help anyone who reads it. 

Dear Reader, you come into contact with people every day that need help, encouragement, an understanding heart and a listening ear. People that might have a question about the Word or faith, YOU are the person that can answer them in “words they can understand.” 

                              Give words of encouragement to those around you!