Miscommunication - The Devil's Advocate

Submitted By: Gabby

Article Referred To: US AIRWAYS MAGAZINE By: Cristina Pelayo

While heading down to St. Louis for the MOPS convention, I came across an article in the US Airways Magazine. It was entitled: "The Tongue-Tied Traveler" The caption read, "You don't need to learn a foreign language to miscommunicate: Even England and America are separated by the same language."

It talked about how communication can be the most important lesson that a person can learn, and how even a mispronounced word can bring strange surprises even when ordering off a menu. When communicating in a foreign language, the real fun can begin. We have individual dialects to overcome and even cultures who use numerous words all for the sake of describing the same article. For instance:

Some cultures might not even have a word to describe a certain "thing" that another culture has. For instance:

Then literal translations from one language to the next can be another problem. "For instance,

The article then goes on to state that, "Ignorance of colloquialisms often make literal translation interesting." I'll only share a few examples:

But what about using words that sound similar in different languages but do not have similar meanings. Such as:

But what about when we speak the same language?

I've really edited out the examples....which were all quite amusing. But this had me thinking about something more serious. Have you ever had a time when you were trying to communicate a thought, idea, constructive criticism, or a compliment and had the receiver of the message take what you've just finished communicating all the wrong way! I know I have. It reminded me of something that a wonderful woman, whom I admire, once said, "Satan, the father of all lies, just loves to grab whatever words come out or our mouths; and twist them around to his fashion of lies before they reach the listener's ears."

We need to be on guard every minute when we open our mouths, because we never know when something will be twisted or misconstrued. I'm sure we've all played that childhood game called, "Telephone". It's interesting to see how the message sounds when it gets to the last person in the line.

It's sadly interesting to me that the message and gift of salvation, given freely to all, through our Lord, Jesus Christ has been misconstrued by people who call themselves "Christians". Thomas (one of the disciples) had just asked Jesus how to know the way to heaven and, "Jesus answered, ' I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Jesus also stated, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

I've known enough people who have some how misconstrued these perfectly clear messages as meaning, "All roads lead to heaven." I don't discount my Christian upbringing, but I do question the misinformation I was brought up hearing that, "All roads lead to heaven." I didn't know any differently until having to totally lean upon God, when my life had hit its lowest, and actually decided to delve into the Word for myself. I always knew I believed in Christ. So why is it that I fell for the idea that, "All roads lead to heaven?" Here I was, professing to have faith in Christ yet I chose to believe this miscommunication. I must have been either saying that Jesus was a liar or else I was a casualty of misinformation and miscommunication. It finally dawned on me that, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.' Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? " (1 Cor 1:18-20)

Wow! I shoulda had a V-8! *slapping hand to forehead* I finally figured out (six years ago) why I was getting miscommunication. I wasn't following the message in Titus 1:9 (He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.) I was listening to people who listened to miscommunication and passed it on to me instead of 'holding firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught!'

The best advise for any of us to ensure that our communication lines are not "twisted" is to open up our road map to life, our love letter from our Father in Heaven - The Holy Bible, and hear what His message is to each and every one of us.

His Word is Powerful and True...
and not one part of it is a miscommunication or a lie.
Don't take my word for it...
take His Word for it.

* All Scripture is NIV Translation.

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God Bless You All