Talk to the Hands

“Talk to the Hands” Psalm 46:10-11 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Good Morning, I am starting off this morning with a riddle. What can talk with no mouth, hear with no ears, speak many languages, and sing with only the wind? Answer: An echo. Pretty simple, right? But so is the message I am sharing. It can be that simple. God has placed this message on my heart to share. I pray it will be received by all who will listen. The focus of my message is communication: “Talk to the Hands” communication with each other and, more importantly, our communication with God. Today I will be focused on just how, with whom, and when to share with others the Gospel message. After all, it’s what is commanded for us to do. Side Note: My messages will often be based on my experiences, what I know, from my viewpoint. For the record, my God-given messages are directed to me as much as they are shared with you. What I lack in knowledge of God’s Word keeps me thirsting for more. In my last place of employment, I was the switchboard operator. You know the hub of communication. Or, I thought it was…. Some of you may remember the TV show Laugh-In. You may also remember Lily Tomlin and the role she played as the switch operator (my impersonation… “One ringy dingy, two ringy dingy, excuse me, is this the party to whom I AM speaking?”) Well, no, that wasn’t me; but I did answer 19 incoming lines at a time. I was the voice of WOC Energy and formerly Williams Oil and Propane. Some may have called me the “Mouth”! I was the first hit when calls came into the office, learning all the while to disperse the calls promptly and correctly. Taking the unhappy, impatient calls and, yes, even some random nice calls made me realize that I didn’t take the words personally. My ability to silently pray for patience helped in my using kindness and to speak in a friendly manner. Also, I learned to be kind when calling from my home to other businesses and friends. God helps me every day! The dictionary definition of communication is as follows: 1. An imparting or exchanging of information or news. 2. Successful conveying or sharing of ideas or feelings. 3. Means of sending or receiving information, such as phones, computers, etc. Also, I am adding to this writing a note, speaking in person, maybe words sung in a song. The word origin for communication from the Latin means “to share.” When I was employed, I used the technology at hand to inform the callers. I am speaking today from what I have learned. The art of communication is the language of leadership. Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity. The ability to communicate is a gift from God used to help develop relationships with others here and in the community. As I read the definitions, one of them said sending and receiving. I am quickly drawn to my original focus: Communication with God. God is the Great Communicator. He listens and gives us guidance and answers through His Word in the Bible. Throughout the Bible, God communicates with first, Adam and Eve. He sends angels to Jacob, Zechariah, Mary and the shepherds as a way of communicating what they were to do or where to go or what would happen to them. This is just one of the many ways God reaches out to His followers. He shares in dreams, writing on the wall, a talking donkey in Numbers 22:21-35, yes, a talking donkey! God is always trying to reach each and every one of us. To be faithful followers of His Word. The point is, communication. Are we receiving, listening, following to what God is telling us? The way to “talk” to God is through prayer. He always listens to us, knows our every need. The answers are not always instant or made clear to us. Sometimes His answer doesn’t always match what we want but, trust me when I say, His answer always leads to a better path. We may never know the answer and that’s okay, as God will let us know when the time is right. Matthew 21:22 says “if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” That seems very simple … you must believe in order to receive … sign me up for that. However … Do you believe? Than if you do, there should be no fretting or stewing, worrying or wringing of hands. Take all your concerns to God! Period. Always, always go to God … talk to the hands … that wiped away all our sins. Another part of the definition was successfully conveying or sharing ideas and feelings. As followers of God, “Are we sharing the Gospel with others?” You know it’s not a big secret, we need to always be mindful about sharing God’s Good News: that through Jesus Christ His Son, who came and died to take away our sins and by believing in Him, we can have salvation and a place in Heaven. Why would you want to not share this? As Christians we are given God’s grace and mercy; it’s there for the asking. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Hey, folks, that is a deal!! The free gift of God is eternal life! Wow! Can’t beat that. We can all witness, share with others how God has touched our lives. When speaking with others, there are a few ways to show God’s love in us. Being an example of the fruits of the Spirit, you know, Galatians 5:22-23 … “but the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.” There are acronyms for speaking with others, ways to help us share God’s Word. The first acronym is T-H-I-N-K! T stands for true. Before you speak and offer criticism of someone’s ideas, make sure it is true. Don’t mistake spiritual discernment for merely an opinion, innuendo, slander, or gossip. H stands for helpful. Ask yourself if the words are helpful. Don’t judge, but seek to built up an individual, rather than tearing them down. I stands for inspiring. Be uplifting and point others toward the Scriptures about Christ’s love. N stands for necessary. Don’t be a fault-finder regarding matters of little importance. Ask yourself, Is it really necessary? K stands for kind. Be kind and humble in your approach. We’re to get the speck out of our eyes before addressing the faults of others. This is an idea of how to speak with others in our daily lives. The way we communicate should reflect how we live our lives. Be uplifting and pointing others toward what the Scriptures say about Christ, His love, and restoration. Another acronym is W-A-I-T … Why am I talking? I personally use this acronym on a daily basis. More times than not, listening, really listening, is key to communication. It seems we tend to listen for a reply, not to understand. There are many Scriptures that speak of talking and how we should communicate. For example, in James 1:19, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” (NIV). Also, in Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue can bring death or life, those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Matthew 12:36 shares, “But I tell you that everyone will have to give an account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken” (NIV). Well, for me that message hit me right between the eyes! Empty, idle, pointless, unhelpful, lazy words … Yikes! We need to remember to clean up our speech. Have I said words of that nature? Have you? I am positive we all have; but starting here and now, be mindful of how we speak. This reminds me of the children’s son, “Oh, be careful, little tongue what you say!” “Talk to the Hands” might seem very, well, today’s language. I feel that is okay. What better way to remind us to pray to God for every thing, every day. I think of Jesus’ hands after they had been pierced while He hung on the Cross. Another reminder of just who I owe everything, who has wiped away my sin and continues to do so with unconditional, never-ending love. Communication is key to successful relationships … with friends, family, my church family, community people, and most important, with God. Talk to the Hands…. Amen.