Communicate In Love

Communicate In Love “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:1-2 I believe our family has had very good communications over the years, and our disagreements have been few and far between. Our relationship has always been good and everyone has had an open door to communicate with each other and with us. Conflict is a normal part of any home. What will set your family apart is how you respond to each other when circumstances collide. It is important to make our homes a haven of peace for our families and our children. We must speak the truth at all times in our dealings with our families and with our friends and neighbors. To speak the truth means to be honest, even when that involves taking a risk. To speak in love is to communicate the truth in kind and gentle terms. Often it has less to do with what you say, than with how you say it. I have seen many good communicators over the years and have also seen some very bad ones. Even though they might be saying the same thing, the way they expressed themselves can many times mean the difference between the person listening and becoming defensive and irritated, or whether they buy into what the person is saying. Consider your communication style and change it if you feel you are not lovingly expressing yourself to others. We need to communicate intentionally, what we want to say, and not communicate in anger. Anger is a God given emotion, but things said in anger will usually result in an outcome that will not benefit anyone. Our words should always be uplifting to others, and not to make anyone feel bad or hurt them in any way. We should be building others up instead of tearing them down. Always speak in love. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 26