03.03
This story in Genesis 16 is one of the craziest stories in the Bible. Sarah tells Abraham to sleep with her servant, Hagar, because Sarah feels guilty about being childless. Abraham obliges Sarah. Sarah then blames Abraham for following her advice.
I’ve always thought it would be easier if people lived by the motto, “Say What You Mean; Mean What You Say.” It’s just not that simple, though. Relationships are complicated and Abraham learned an important lesson that day: People often say one thing, but mean another. When Sarah said what she did, she wanted to be consoled by her husband. She needed to hear that he trusted God and didn’t need another ‘partner’ to bear a child. Abraham missed the boat all together.
I miss the boat, too, when it comes to people. But I’m learning to trust a VERY IMPORTANT communication tool when understanding people… their body language. Only 7% of our communication is through words. That’s why, “Say What You Mean; Mean What You Say” only works if you take in the other 93% of communication – body language and vocal tone. It’s amazing how our body language (almost) never lies. So as I become a student of people’s body language, God gives me insights into what people are really thinking. It’s important that I hear and see ALL their communication, not just their words.
We really do ‘Say What We Mean; Mean What We Say.’ We just communicate with more than words. If Abraham had watched Sarah’s body language on this one day, thousands of years ago, his life – and ours – would have been much, much easier. (More about that on Sunday.)
What’s God saying to you through these verses? Have you ever took someone’s words literally, only to discover that’s not what they meant?
