Think about the person(s) who speak into your life. God created us to interact. Our influence between one another has many nuances and opportunities for effectiveness – or not. This is one reason why the God Story is so relational. We were made to interface with each other – and with our Creator.
It is common to perceive our Father as One Who has come up with a list of rules to spoil our fun. Take away our freedom. It is almost as if He is waiting for us to screw up so we can pay the price. Who would serve a God Who is so harsh?
At the other end of this spectrum is impersonal-ness. God is uninvolved. He does not care. My actions and reactions are irrelevant. I must find my own way, and making up a supposed personal deity is simply not helpful – whatever their qualities.
In the midst of all this, by intention or default, we live each day communicating our beliefs (intentionally or by example). Some of us impact others for good, some for bad, and some of us merely drift along – inert to relational impact.
Those of us who wish to make a difference become committed to intervention. Stirring the waters. Communication. Giving our words or opinions.
Some of us become experts at telling. Action and reaction. You communicate this and my response is to tell you what I think. Others learn to draw people toward thought processes which includes sifting, reasoning, and questioning – with both heart and mind.
We are learning much about this process. We are becoming better at extending conversation. “I’ll need to think about that.” “Your ideas are interesting – let me give it some thought.” “You are stimulating questions for me to help understand what you are communicating.”
Conversation and dialogue have currently been squeezed into very small spaces. We have gone to our respective corners. To create a safe place for stimulating dialogue is a definite challenge. And so thought becomes static. Opinions are formed synthetically and we are isolated.
A solution?
If we can become agents for open discussion of philosophical, scientific, and faith conversations we can serve God and one another very effectively. We can open doors rather than closing them. Drawing versus telling.
“A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of understanding draws it out.” – Proverbs 20:5
Let’s join together in drawing each other out. There is so much to gain – for us all!
Dave and Burnadette
With over a combined 100 years experience in person to person telling and drawing