I once had a boss
when I worked at Agilent Technologies (a
spinoff of Hewlett Packard) who was initially outgoing and engaging during
business meetings, but once we got down to the matters at hand, his driver
personality came out. He wanted simple facts,
straight answers and a plan of action.
There we many times when I would cringe (and kind of laugh) when newcomers would unknowingly begin to give
long winded and at times, nonsensical suggestions to him. I could almost see his blood pressure rising
and the steam forming around him! That
was usually my queue to step in and quell the conversation before someone got
run over. My boss gave me the nickname
of “The Lawyer” due to my calm
interjections when things began to get out of control.
These individuals
did not really know my boss. They tried
to use communication techniques that were comfortable to them without realizing
that they were going to irritate my boss, and since he was the Section Manager,
he always had the final say! If they had
known his business characteristics, they would have changed their approach to
fit into his methodology. Hewlett
Packard and Agilent Technologies felt that team work and good communication
were so critical to the success of the business that they sent all of their
management teams to numerous communication classes and seminars. I think that this is one skill that needs to
be taught in high schools!
If we are to act as
representatives of Jesus Christ in this world, then we also need to know who we
are representing. If we don’t have an
ever-increasing, intimate knowledge of Him, then we will never be able to deeply
communicate with Him, nor accurately portray Him to those needing salvation.
Over the last four
years we have had some well-meaning individuals say things about us to others
or directly to us, that if they really knew us, they never would have
said! They would have known that those
comments or suggestions would not be a blessing to us, but instead added
negative pressure on top of everything else we have been going through. If they had simply spent a little time with
us, listening and gaining insight about the situation before they spoke, they
would have known to speak the words that would bless and encourage, rather than
those that brought dissention and pain.
The same could be
said in our relationship with God. If we
would just spent quality time listening to Him and gaining insight into His
personality and the way that He works, then we would be better at communicating
with Him as well as with those around us. The New King James Version of the
bible declares in Psalm 100:3 that we should “Know that the Lord is God…” That
is a pretty simple statement. It makes
it clear that He is God and we are not!
If we are to be proficient in our Christian lives then we’d better
realize that it’s His word and His way that counts, and not what we think is
best!
But here again, we
must remember that God is a God of grace that is motivated by His love. I am learning to not take everything so
personally when insensitive comments are made to me. To, as the proverbial saying goes, “let it roll over me like water on a duck’s
back” and let God take care of the situation. I am so thankful that God doesn’t take our
mistakes personally. If we are willing
and sensitive to Him, He will gently correct us and lovingly teach us what is
right.
One of my favorite
pastimes over the last forty some years has been to spend quality time getting
to know my wife. Getting to know God has
also become a favorite of mine as well.
How about you? Have a great day
before Thanksgiving! Stay in tune to His
Word, and keep asking yourself… “What or
WHO am I expecting to GET TO KNOW today?”
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